Darkness and Light: Melizabeth
by WhiteAngelFeathers
Summary: Just what did Meliodas mean when he asked her to live for him? And just how far will the Captain of the Seven Deadly Sins go to protect her this time? [Takes place after the anime, before/ during the manga (so there are manga spoilers!) I don't own any of the characters or places! (though I wish I did!)]
1. The Nightmare

"Elizabeth, if you disappear from my life, I'll have no reason to live... So please, live for me." He wasn't prepared to say this yet, he didn't want to tell her yet. He sort of worried she would panic, think it was too soon. For her it was soon. But he had loved her much longer, in her current form since the day he met her. But he had loved her long before that day.

Meliodas knew the moment that she walked into his tavern that she was Liz. Her short red hair was gone, replaced with long silver hair but it was still her. Her eyes, her lips, her face, and of course her body. It felt like Liz's death had just happened, that the destruction of Danafor had just happened. But sixteen years feels like nothing when you are three thousand years old. _'You always said we would meet again'_

He watched Elizabeth, as she cleared the tables from the nights business, while absentmindedly wiping out a mug he was sure had been dry for a while. He was in awe of her. She didn't panic at all. He knew she heard him. Within seconds she began to glow and her injuries disappeared. Once they were gone she simply opened those bright blue orbs and smiled slightly, a light blush on her cheeks. She was much sweeter and kinder than Liz, grabbing her ass almost wasn't even fun, she never fought him off. Of course Hawk was there to say something when she didn't. But in no way did that mean she was weak. She alone had journeyed to find the Seven Deadly Sins. And in the last battle she alone had healed all of them. He had never felt anything like it. The warmth, surrounding him. Comforting him.

Even now, their journey is far more dangerous, but Elizabeth gladly chose to follow Meliodas and the other Sins. He had debated this decision a lot. As much as he wanted to always be by her side, he also wanted her to be safe. No matter what everyone seems to think beside Meliodas would never be the safest place. A painful image passed through Meliodas' mind. The image of Liz beaten and bloody up against that tower. The image that plagued his mind almost every day. His sin to bear.

Elizabeth looked up towards sir Meliodas. Usually their eyes would connect and sometimes she would blush and turn away. This time she was disappointed to see he wasn't even looking at her. He appeared to be lost in thought, staring out the window beside her. She knew he was probably thinking about his old love. She knew he had someone else before. That he had failed to protect her. She blushed slightly, looking back down and wiping the table with the damp cloth in her hand. She secretly hoped he was thinking of her, especially since her talk with Diane. But she knew that wasn't the case. She thought about the end of the battle. What he had whispered to her while she was fighting to survive her injuries. How it had made her so happy that her magical energy was replenished. Why would he say that then, if he didn't mean it. She glanced at him again, but he was still spaced out, finally setting down the cup he was holding and simply staring into the distance.

Before she realized what was happening Elizabeth caught the edge of the table on her foot and fell to the ground with a shriek. The mugs she was holding clattered to the ground around her while the remnants of Vanya Ale splashed onto her uniform.

"Elizabeth! Are you alright?" Meliodas had already begun picking up the mugs scattered around her, after feeling her ass, to ensure she was okay of course.

"Si-sir Meliodas, thank you! I was... I mu-must have been distracted." Elizabeth blushed a deep crimson as she started to stand.

"That's okay as long as you are alright. Let me finish washing up, you go on upstairs." She nodded quickly then turned to leave. "If you need any help undressing I'll be right there!" Meliodas grinned as Hawk shouted from behind the bar at him. Elizabeth tripped slightly on the stair when he said this and scurried away blushing a bright red. She passed Ban on the stairs without even looking up at him.

"What did you say to her now Captain?" He drawled while taking a seat at the bar and simultaneously opening another bottle of Vanya Ale.

"Hm? Oh nothing." Meliodas grinned, opening a bottle for himself. He quite enjoyed rounding out a busy night with an Ale with his close friend. Ban had returned two nights ago, with King following close behind. He often said he would be leaving again soon, still searching for a way to resurrect Elaine. The rest of the sins were slowly making their way towards Camelot, while attempting to gather information on Escanor, thought they hadn't heard anything so far. Meliodas was delaying the trip, hoping Merlin could find something out about the Coffin of Eternal Darkness.

"Hey! Are you even listening Captain?" Ban's voice brought Meliodas out of his thoughts. "Jeez you are spacey lately." Ban grinned then opened another Vanya Ale.

"You know I would like to keep this place running." Meliodas grumbled taking Ban's empty and tossing it.

"Hey just consider this my pay Captain!" Ban laughed. Meliodas smiled in return. His thoughts wandering to the princess sleeping upstairs. "What is it with her? You are completely- Does this have to do with what happened at Danafor?" Ban asked.

"Ah ah ah, rule number three of the seven deadly sins-"

"Yeah yeah we can't ask about another persons sin. Though I don't see how it would be relevent. That happened before the princess was even born."

Meliodas knew that wasn't true. She was born in Danafor. She was an apostle to the goddess. That day Danafor fell. He could have killed her... He exhaled deeply, pushing the thought from his mind. He turned to Ban and smiled. "Well I have a princess waiting in my bed for me." He winked then headed up the stairs, leaving Ban to his Ale.

Hawk was waiting at the top of the stairs, rope next to him on the floor. Meliodas could see Elizabeth breathly softly. Her chest rising and falling with each sleeping breath. Once 'safely' in his restraints he quickly drifted off to sleep.

 _'Meliodas.' He heard his name like a whisper. When he opened his eyes he found a castle standing before him, not his bedroom on the second floor of the Boar Hat. Meliodas looked around for the voice but saw nothing. He decided instead to walk towards the castle, it seemed to be the only thing around afterall. He had only taken a few steps when he noticed a familiar dark figure standing with his back to Meliodas. A figure he hadn't seen in 3000 years. And there in front of him was the small crumpled form of his beautiful princess. Without a second thought he had begun running towards them. His blood boiling._

 _As soon as he started running the image changed. Now he stood in a rocky gorge. This place he didn't recognize at all. By his feet he saw the tiny piece of blade from his own dragon hilt sword. This was bad. Before him he saw Dreyfus. He was sure Dreyfus was dead yet here he was. Placing the key into the coffin of darkness. This was very bad._

 _'No Dreyfus stop! Don't do this!' Meliodas shouted out but Dreyfus did not respond. Meliodas reached out and tried to touch him but again nothing. So what was this? A vision? He glanced around again and smiled slightly to himself. No sign of Elizabeth. They can't do anything without her blood right?_

 _'Don't worry brother, we will get her. It is destined.' Meliodas snapped his head around. Directly behind him was the castle image again. Elizabeth was on the ground, barely breathing. This time the rest of the demon clan was behind her. The Ten Commandments. He comrades, when he was still with the demons. He watched as her limp body was lifted into the air. Dangling my her wrists, though nothing was holding her. Blood was gushing from her side, along with many other wounds around her body, just like back in Liones. He felt himself growing hot. Like flames were licking at his skin, erupting from his heart._

"ELIZABETH!" Meliodas sat straight up, his fists in front of him, the ropes shredded to pieces around him. His right fist was black, his demon blood had come through, from a dream. This concerned him. After a few deep breaths he could feel the fire receding back into his heart. He looked down at Elizabeth.

"I-is everything okay Sir Meliodas?" She whispered. It was still dark out, she was worried about waking up the other sins. Though given the shout he had just released he was sure they were already up.

"I'm sorry, did I scare you?" Meliodas asked, quieter than usual as he lay back down, rolling onto his side to face her.

With as much confidence as she could muster, given they were both laying in bed together, Elizabeth whispered "no of course not. You could never scare me."

Meliodas smiled slightly. He knew that wasn't true. He would scare her. She doesn't even fully know what he is. She doesn't yet know that he is a demon. The one race that was thought to be wiped off the planet. Ban was the only one who knew. Well Meliodas was sure Merlin knew, but she kept to herself just the same. He rolled onto his back, thinking about telling Elizabeth. But he just couldn't do it. He didn't know what her feelings for him were yet, and he wasn't ready to let her out of his sight. Especially given when he had just seen. In the morning he would talk to Merlin, she could tell him about his dream.

Elizabeth watched Meliodas, lost in thought again. He had surprised her when he shot up in bed shouting for her. She wondered what he had dreamed about. It must have been about her. But what kind of dream she wondered. She blushed lightly, thankful for the darkness in the room. As he rolled onto his back she watched his face. It could always be a different Elizabeth. Though she hoped that wasn't the case. His face looked pained. Maybe he was thinking about that other woman again. His sin. She reached out and lightly pressed her fingers to his arm, then after receiving no response she placed her palm on his arm, to comfort him. Whether he was thinking about her or not she hated seeing that look in his eyes. She only ever saw it at night, when no one else would.

Meliodas sighed slightly before smiling at the Princess' touch but he didn't look at her. Afraid she would press him about what had just happened. Soon he drifted back to sleep, this time a dreamless one.


	2. Bowerstone

**I hope you guys are liking it so far! I just recently discovered Seven Deadly Sins and let me say, I am absolutely obsessed! Seriously though, haha. And upon realising that there is a shockingly small amount of FanFictions about it (Compared to the millions of Fairy Tail and Naruto ones) I decided to take a little stab at this one. So basically this will include some stuff from the manga but follow a slightly different timeline in regards to the Ten Commendments. Mostly because I have no idea what is going to happen with that so I've decided to make my own. There will be some violence and of course adult stuff (because come on, it IS Meliodas). However there won't be any Lemon. It will get sad. Then happy again. Well maybe. We will see. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy! Feel free to review and comment and all that fun stuff!**

"So what do you think Merlin? Does it mean something?" Meliodas asked. He had gone down to her study as soon as he woke up. Before Hawk even made his way in to yell at Meliodas for breaking the restraints. Merlin's office was actually just the cellar, it hung off to the side of Hawk's mom.

Merlin sat and pondered it for a while longer. Meliodas had just revealed the dream to her. She watched the Captain. He was completely serious. Concerned even She hadn't seen him like this in a long time. "Are you certain Dreyfus is dead?"

"He turned into dust. I thought that seemed pretty dead."

"It is hard to say then. If Dreyfus is dead and they didn't get Elizabeth's blood for the seal then ti doesn't seem to concerning. But..." she paused thinking more. If Dreyfus and Hendrickson are dead there was nothing to worry about. But the Coffin of Eternal Darkness was still missing and Merlin couldn't find any leads on where it might be. She sighed deeply. " I don't know what to tell you Captain. With the Coffin still missing..." Merlin trailed off, flipping through an old tome on her desk.

"I will need my power back then. If this is happening I will need it.."

"Are you sure that is wise? You've let what little demon blood you have come through multiple times already. You know you can't control it-"

"I need to protect her. With my life. I can't do that without the power." Merlin nodded in understanding.

"I think first we should head in the direction that black thing was going. I fear that might be what carried away the Coffin," Meliodas nodded. Then a smile broke out across his face.

"Well I guess this is a new adventure for us all then!" He placed his hands behind his head as he crossed the room and climbed the stairs back towards the tavern. Merlin simply shook her head, wondering how he could be so happy with so much darkness threatening the world.

"Hey Captain?" She called out suddenly remembering something. She felt she needed to say it.

"Hm?" He questioned looking back through one eye.

"Just don't let her out of your sight for a little bit okay?"

"I wouldn't dream of it." He beamed, finally climbing the stairs to the rest of the tavern.

Elizabeth watched as Meliodas came up the stairs from Lady Merlin's study. He was so relaxed. So different from last night. She was upset to see he wasn't next to her when she woke up that morning. He was gone long before she got up. So she went down tot he tavern and waited for him to come back, while sipping a cup of tea. Diane sat with her, at her human size. Elizabeth could tell King was disappointed, as he wanted to sit with Diane. He sat on the opposite end of the tavern next to Gowther as he read something he had picked up in the last village.

Meliodas walked directly past everyone, stepping over Ban who was sprawled out across the floor after passing out from the alcohol last night. He went outside and shouted the new directions to Hawks mom. Elizabeth slid slightly out of her seat as the direction the tavern was moving in changed. Diane giggled a little while Elizabeth blushed slightly.

"Yo Cap'n where to now?" Ban drawled as Meliodas entered again. He stood up like he wasn't just passed out on the floor. Such a strange man undead Ban.

"Just checking something out." Meliodas grinned. _'I just hope I'm wrong'_. "Why don't we spend some time outside, its gorgeous out!"

Elizabeth stood up quickly, wanting to do whatever Sir Meliodas wanted. She promptly fell with one of Hawk'm Mom's heavy steps.

"Maybe we should go out once we have stopped moving Captain." Diane said laughing with Elizabeth at her clumsiness.

Diane was now outside, her 7 hours up. She stood as the regular walking billboard for the Boar's hat Tavern. Meliodas decided to set up outside a bustling industrial town called Bowerstone. The town was filled with sailors and traders, a good group to get information from, as there wasn't a single one that could resist a pint of Vanya Ale. With tons of food from the previous hunts they didn't need to do anything to set up. Ban was already preparing things for the night service. Baking pies with King's help.

The rest of the group sat outside enjoying the night weather. Meliodas laid back on the soft grass with his hands behind his head and his eyes closed. He was deciding what he would do if they found the Coffin. What could he do? He had spent thousands of years protecting the key just for it to be easily stolen away. Maybe he wasn't such a great guardian. He peeked through his eyelids to his left where the princess sat up, weaving some wildflowers she found into some sort of crown. Would he be able to protect her? Could he keep his promise to Baltra to keep his third daughter safe.

Elizabeth glanced over at Meliodas, catching him watching her. She smiled and quickly looked back to her flowers blushing slightly. Was he thinking about her again? Meliodas closed his eyes again.

Merlin got up from her seat on the steps of the Boar Hat. "Gowther and I are going into town to looks for some books. Maybe some potion ingredients." She half waved back at Meliodas as she disappeared, Gowther by her side.

"Maybe I'll go down to Bowerstone! The town looks so nice! Like Liones!" Elizabeth said excitedly. She looked at Diane in the distance. She was busy so she wouldn't be joining. She looked down at Meliodas surprised to find emerald eyes staring back at her.

"I'll come with you." Meliodas stated, standing next to the princess grinning up at her. She smiled warmly then walked alongside him to the village.

The town was bustling. People were crowding the streets. Some even recognized Meliodas. He had been here before. With Liz. The pair decided to walk down to the pier after Elizabeth saw some bright coloured flags and sails on some ships down there. Meliodas followed along with his hands behind his head. If this was yesterday she might have let her go on her own. But today was different. He needed to keep an eye on her. He had no idea what would happen if Zeldris showed up here.

"Oh the Boar Hat! Do you remember me telling you about that place Gavin?" Meliodas looked out the corner of his eye, seeing a fisherman chatting with another.

"Thats the place with the Vanya Ale right?"

Meliodas and Elizabeth stopped. The men referring to the symbols on Meliodas' new uniform, courtesy of the princess. Meliodas smiled widely at the men. "We are open tonight if you want to come try some!"

"Aren't you a little young to be working at a tavern?"

"Work there? I own the place!"

"Be nice Gavin, that is Sir Meliodas of the Seven Deadly Sins! He owns the Boar Hat!" A surprised look fell across Gavin's face. Then it turned to embarrassment.

"So sorry! Geoff, Why didn't you tell me before I opened my fat mouth?"

Meliodas and Elizabeth laughed then waved to the men who promised they would come up to the tavern that night. "Sir Meliodas I think we might need to set up seating outside tonight. Seems like it will be pretty busy."

Meliodas smiled. He hoped one day Elizabeth would be less formal with him. "Maybe you are right. We will see." He started off again with his hands behind his head.

"Lets get some ice cream Sir Meliodas!" Elizabeth giggling, pulling him towards a stand near the end of the pier. Sometimes he forgot how childish she could be. He smiled widely and paid for the ice cream cones for each of them then they sat on the end of the pier. Elizabeth's feet dangled over the edge, thought they were no where near the water. The pair sat there for a while quietly eating their ice cream.

"Si-Sir Meliodas?"

"What is it Elizabeth?" Meliodas asked turning towards the princess. She was looking at her hands and blushing.

"I- I was wondering about your dream last night..." Elizabeth's heart was beating so fast she thought it might burst out of her chest. When he didn't answer for a bit she risked a glance up at him. She found his emerald eyes looking back at her again.

Then Meliodas let out a small chuckle. "Nothing for you to worry about Elizabeth."

"Why not? I know it was... It was something... You were..." _'a demon'_ she couldn't say it. She wanted him to tell her what had happened back in Liones on his own. When his green eyes turned pure black and the black took over his skin. But he wasn't telling her. She wanted him to trust her. She could feel herself becoming upset when he didn't answer her. She forced herself to smile. That's something Margaret had taught her. To smile to stop the tears. She looked back up at him. He was just looking at her slightly confused it seemed. She smiled and said "Never mind! Should we be heading back? It's probably time to open soon right?" Then she stood up and started to walk back.

Meliodas stood after her, following along. What was he going to do. She was starting to wonder. If this was her past life she would have tried to beat it out of him. She wouldn't have given up so easily. He sighed deeply then caught up with her, swiftly taking her hand in his.

"I swear to you Elizabeth I will protect you."


	3. Nothing to Worry About

**A/N: Last chapter for the day! I promise it will get more exciting than this. Soon. Ish. Just trust in me mmkay? That said I won't always be updateing super often. Well I might be but maybe not. I'm planning my own wedding and working full time so I do get busy. I just want to get a good base amount of chapters for you guys! PS Shout out to my first two followers! BettyBest2 and kittenmoyashi!**

Elizabeth stole many glance at the captain during that nights service. As many as she could anyways the tavern was crowded. They did set up tables outside and they still didn't have enough space. This was the busiest the Boar Hat had ever been! Meliodas even had to force Merlin to help behind the bar with him. Gowther chose to take on the waitress uniform. The tables he served weren't really impressed. In fact most of the tables requested Elizabeth, despite her clumsiness. She took orders to the wrong table a lot, but the men didn't care. They were all just looking at her anyways. Meliodas swallowed hard. This was a hard part of the night. Watching them all oggle her.

"Remember Captain, you wanted her as a server. I could take her help back here and you can have this lazy bastard as a sever!" Ban drawled from the counter. King scowled and shouted a 'hey' in response then promptly blushed a bright crimson as human sized Diane walked by carrying far more than a human girl would be able to.

Meliodas laughed off Ban's comment, catching Elizabeth's eye again and giving her a thumbs up. She promptly dropped everything she was holding on the ground. Meliodas jumped the bar to help her pick it up. Before he got to her she shrieked slapping away a mans who had a handful of her ass. Meliodas felt himself burning up as he swept her behind him, telling her to go to Diane.

"Aww come on man, its just so nice." The man slurred his words as Meliodas stared him down.

"Meliodas." Hawk warned from next to him. Hawk had come to clean up the mess Elizabeth made.

Meliodas breathed deeply and smiled at the man. "I'd like it if you kept your hands off my staff. And if you can't manage that you will have to leave." He added the last part darkly, so the man understood his threat then turned back towards the bar. The man left his money on the table and left.

"Try and be a bit more careful okay?" He smiled at Elizabeth while she nodded blushing. Diane gave her a quick hug then she went back to her own tables, mostly outside.

"I don't think you need to be careful Elizabeth! I'll be here to clean up for you any day!" Hawk stated through his mouthfuls of pie Elizabeth had just dropped.

"The caverns just aren't safe anymore-"

"He's not kidding! I heard that in the last few weeks something just decided to live down there. The wildlife won't even go near it anymore!"

"Where's this?" Diane asked sweetly. Batting her eyelashes slightly the way Elizabeth had taught her. She was waiting one of the tables outside when she overheard part of the conversation between a pair of old travelling salesmen.

"Ohoho no where a sweet girl like you should be goin." One of the men answered gently. Diane quickly grabbed the collar of his shirt lifting him from his seat, causing a scene.

"Diane! What are you doing to our fine guests?" Elizabeth asked sweetly, coming to diffuse the situation. Diane put the gentleman down and coughed loudly.

"We were just having a discussion about the caverns west of here when this monster showed up and grabbed me by the neck!" Diane looked hurt. Even in her human form she was still a monster. Rather than getting upset she simply put down her tray and walked down the hill towards the forest. Elizabeth smiled sadly in her direction before looking back at the men,

"what about the caverns? Do they have a lot of gemstones?" She asked in the flirtiest voice she could muster.

"Well yeah there were. But now no one can go down there! Even the wildlife stays away. Nothing for you to worry about though." Elizabeth hated that. Because she was a woman she couldn't deal with it. Just like sir Meliodas had said earlier. She wanted to be involved!

"West of here?" She asked again. The men of the table nodded. "How would you guys like a uh... a round of Ale on the house for your troubles?" The men all agreed enthusiastically.

"Where did Diane go?!" King asked worried as soon as Elizabeth returned to the pub.

"The uh... the men out there called her a monster and she went to the forest." Before Elizabeth could say another word King flew out the back entrance and down to find Diane. He would help her feel better. Elizabeth smiled as he left.

"So what did she hear Elizabeth?" Hawk asked. Elizabeth stood closer to Meliodas, Hawk, and Merlin so they could hear.

"The men were talking about a uhm rocky cavern west of here. Apparently for the past little while, since the uh battle at Liones I guess... Anyways nothing goes in there." Elizabeth watched as Meliodas and Merlin shared a concerned look. "What is it Sir Meliodas? Lady Merlin?"

"Nothing you need to worry about Elizabeth." Meliodas answered simply.

Elizabeth's face became red with anger. She was fed up with this. She was a comrade too right? "Well that table out there is getting a free round of beer and I am going to bed!" Elizabeth stomped upstairs away from the group.

"Meliodas how can you let her stomp away like that?! Go make her feel better!" Hawk shouted. Meliodas looked at Merlin again then sighed.

"No let her go rest. We have a tavern to run and we are short two waitresses and a kitchen staff." Meliodas stated. "I'll go wait tables, Merlin you handle the counter!" He smiled brightly tossing his cloth that regularly sat on his shoulder onto the counter.

"Do you know why he is acting so strangely with her Merlin?" Hawk asked. The mage simply smiled then went back to the counter.

Hawk huffed then stomped back tot he kitchen. "Don't worry about it master. It's all about love." Ban cooed.

"Well if he loves her shouldn't he go make her happy?!" Hawk cried out.

"Sorry master but you just don't understand true love. Maybe you'll get it someday." Ban singsonged while flipping a steak for a customer.

Elizabeth stared out the window of the second bedroom. She wasn't even tired. She was just so angry... What could she do? Tears sprung to her eyes. Why was Meliodas being such an idiot? She just wanted to help! Maybe it was because she was so delicate. She wasn't anything like her sister Veronica. She couldn't really take care of herself. She had those healing powers but as much as she tried to use them again she couldn't. So what she had to be your typical emotional woman just to use her powers? That seemed unfair. Everyone else was so much stronger than her. She wished she wasn't so much of a burden.

From her spot in the window she saw Diane and King emerge from the thick forest and sit on the ground outside. King held Diane's hand as they talked and laughed. Probably about something stupid Sir Ban had done. Elizabeth smiled softly. Things seemed to be going well for the fairy and the giant so why not for her and Meliodas? Was it his secrets. He was protecting her she knew that but she wanted him to be open with her.

The night before he had asked her if she was afraid. She knew he meant the black mars on his body. She wasn't afraid of him though. He would never hurt her, she knew that. So why did he need to constantly reassure her of that. He thought back tho their walk back from the pier. He had taken her hand, causing her to turn scarlet. But after he said his piece he dropped her hand. She was disappointed. She would have held his hand the whole way back. She wished she was brave enough to take his had back.

She continued to think about Sir Meliodas. She found herself smiling imagining his carefree grin. She couldn't stay mad at him. She considered going back downstairs since she had calmed down. She thought of what sort of thing Ban would probably say to her when she got back and decided against it. Instead she stripped off her Ale stained uniform and got into her pale purple nightgown. That was the nicest thing about going home again. She got to pick up some of her own clothing. She fiddled with the cotton hem as she sat with her legs dangling off the bed. She looked at the pillow next to her, where Meliodas would be later in the night. She wished Hawk wouldn't tie him up. She was confident that Meliodas wouldn't actually take advantage of her. Besides would she do anything if he did? She blushed deeply then shook her had, falling back into the bed and pulling the covers up over her face. She breathed heavily. What was she doing? Thinking about Sir Meliodas in that way! Elizabeth hid herself under the covers until she drifted off to sleep, long before Meliodas even made his way up to the room.

"So what is the plan Captain? Are we going out there tomorrow?" Merlin asked while wiping the counter at the end of the night. Meliodas wiped the tables with Diane's help. King and her came back up about an hour after Elizabeth's outburst. Elizabeth hadn't returned.

"Hm? Yeah. We probably don't all need to go. We will see when we get out there."

"What about the princess?" Diane asked. When they returned Ban told her and King what had happened. After punching the captain she insisted he wouldn't go talk to her. Diane sighed sadly, wishing she had been here to support Elizabeth. She probably felt so alone. She also understood how the Captain felt of course. At least a bit. He just wanted to protect her. But Diane had called Elizabeth their comrade then wasn't even there to support her.

"Actually... I think I might have her stay here. With you Merlin." He nodded towards the mage. She nodded obediently.

"Cap'n if you keep pushing her away like this-"

"I know what I'm doing." Meliodas snapped at Ban. Ban simply shrugged, taking another swig of his Ale. His kitchen cleaning was already done, since he made King do it all as his punishment for leaving.

"I'm just saying. If you care about her maybe you should tell her that. You are just going to hurt her..." Ban thought of his Elaine sadly. He would give anything to have her back. He even contemplated killing the captain to have a shot at getting her back.

"That's exactly what I'm trying to avoid doing." Meliodas mumbled, finishing up the table. He then sat at the bar and opened himself an Ale.

Diane and King said their goodnights before leaving. Diane preferred sleeping outside, especially knowing that she would be back to her regular size by the morning. And King liked to be wherever Diane was. Gowther had disappeared to his shared room with Ban hours ago, mumbling something about being the only one who worked the full night without hesitation. Merlin went to her study.

Ban studied his Captain, listening to his Master snoring on the floor where he had passed out. "Is she in danger?" He asked quietly.

Meliodas looked up and met Ban's eyes. Ban was taken aback. For the first time ever he saw something different in Meliodas typically happy look. "Yeah. She is."

"So you'll protect her like you always do. We all will."

"I'm not sure we can. I'm not certain I can."

"We will." Ban stated simply. The two sat and drank in silence until Meliodas decided it was time to go to bed.

Meliodas took in Elizabeth's sleeping form as he entered the room. Her face was lit up with the soft moonlight coming in the window. She was so peaceful. Beautiful. Meliodas thought of what had happened earlier between them. He knew why she was upset. Liz would have been too. but that had been his mistake with Liz. He had willingly let Liz go into battle believing her to be strong. Blinded by his feelings for her. And that was a mere human battle. Elizabeth couldn't be involved in this battle. He had no way of protecting her without keeping her close. But at least Merlin would be able to keep an eye on her.

He worried about her safety again. That nightmare had scared him far too much. What if he couldn't protect her. The Ten Commandments... Well they were like ten demon Hendrickson's with extra special secret powers. If they are released... Meliodas knew one thing for sure, he needed his power back. And to protect Elizabeth he needed to separate himself from her. At least for a little bit.

"I'm sorry..."


	4. Poor Excuse for a Man

**A/N: Chapter 4 already! Woooooooo! I noticed the last three chapters are kind of on the shorter side so I've decided to step it up a notch and post something a little longer okay like double the size. i will try to keep the chapters on the longer side from this day forth. Oh and I'm pretty sure you lovelies will be getting another chapter tomorrow. Hopefully. Maybe even two! To be clear this probably won't be a super duper long story overall! Like maybe only 8 chapters left. I don't want to get carried away, haha! ANYWAYS I hope you enjoy! :D (Oh a little heads up, its kinda dark.)**

Elizabeth woke early that morning. Long before anyone else began stirring. She laid in the bed next to Sir Meliodas thinking about what she would say to him. First and foremost she would need to apologize. She had no right walking out on them all last night. Sir Meliodas was just trying to protect her. She sighed lightly careful to not wake him up. Then she got an idea. As carefully as she could she got out of bed and walked to the closet. Pulling from it and outfit very similar to the day she met Sir Meliodas, though this one had one attached sleeve. She had to seem tough after all. She was going down to Bowerstone to find out as much as she could about that cavern. Maybe it would help them when they got there. She was sure they would be checking it out today. She pulled a dark cloak over her head for the extra protection, besides it was so early it would probably be chilly.

She smiled at Sir Meliodas. He was splayed out on top of the sheets sleeping soundly. She then began to blush seeing his firm muscles through the black tank top he often slept in. She looked away and carefully went down the stairs into the tavern.

Elizabeth paused looking down the stairs to Merlin's study. She saw a faint glowing light there, maybe a candle, and considered letting her know where she was going. Elizabeth decided against it, unsure of whether or not Merlin was sleeping and instead turned and walked out the door.

The morning air was cold and damp, just as she had expected. There was a light fog over the grass all around. She could barely see Diane's makeshift tent set up by the forest where she would be sleeping. She glanced back at the second story window of the Boar Hat and smiled lightly before setting off to town.

Overall Bowerstone was pretty quiet. She passed a couple of farmers just coming out to feed the animals but once in town all was still. Once she got closer to the piers she started seeing more men. Only the early morning fishermen were out already heading to their boats to get the earliest catch. She smiled and nodded to a few before remembering that she was trying to look tough. She then decided instead to cross her arms nonchalantly and walk slowly down the street, not that anyone would be able to see her arms under the cloak. She considered walking with her hands behind her head as she had seen Sir Meliodas do so many times before but she knew that would give away her tough guy facade. Elizabeth listened intently to the few conversations being carried out around the pier.

"No seriously she REALLY said that!" The paring closest to her began laughing hysterically. Elizabeth continued walking.

"Aw man Mary packed a tuna sandwich AGAIN. I'm so sick of tuna. I spend all day catching tuna, I don't want to eat it too!"

"Hey at least your woman makes you a lunch. Mine tells me to suffer!"

"Maybe you should grow a pair Matt and tell her its her goddamn job!" Elizabeth shuddered. If Diane were here she would smash the man into the ground for talking about girls that way.

"That crazy Gerard is planning to actually go to the caverns today!" Elizabeth paused when she heard this one, seeing ahead of her two men readying a rather shabby looking fishing boat. She quickly crouched behind a large shipping container hoping to go unnoticed.

"Seriously? That's a death wish!"

"Yeah I heard him saying it last night at that bar. He said he needs the minerals from the caves. That his family depended on the money!"

"Well yeah we all need the money. But that's why we turned to fishing instead."

"At least when we were mining we were back home every night." The first man said sadly. Elizabeth looked at her clenched fists. So whatever was in that cavern was ruining these peoples lives. She looked up at their boat again. It made sense, they probably rushed to get any second hand boat they could when they learned their primary source of income wouldn't work anymore.

"You know we could always try the East tunnel." Another man joined the group. He must have been a miner also. "You know the newest tunnel. They built the entrance through the forest in case of a cave in. Whatever is scaring away the animals isn't in the forest."

"You can try as much as you want but I won't be going anywhere near it. That place is pure evil. I saw a black shadowing mass going in there a few weeks ago just before all this crap started happening" One of the other men finished before trudging up onto the boat. The third man began asking about the forest tunnel while also boarding the boat. Elizabeth panicked, she still needed to know more but all the men were now on the boat. She considered sneaking onto the boat with them, looking at various ways she could get on. _'That's silly Elizabeth! If they catch you they will surely throw you overboard! Not to mention what he would do...'_ She thought of Meliodas sleeping soundly back at the tavern and blushed slightly. He'd come find her and probably smash the boat. These guys couldn't afford to have their boat smashed.

Oh but she could always just go ask them about the caverns right? She needed to know where the forest entrance was! It was probably their best bet right?

"Ah what do we have here? A little theif?" Elizabeth shrieked as her arm was grabbed. She was aggressively pulled further behind the shipping container. None of the men on board seemed to notice her shriek and now she couldn't see them. "Oh a pretty little thief." Elizabeth wanted to gag. His breath smelled rotten, but also like a strong alcohol. Even Ban didn't drink anything that smelled like this.

"Le-Let go of me!" Elizabeth struggled against him but he held firm. Grabbing her chin roughly with one hand he forced her to look at his face. He had a wrinkled and scared face, the most prominent being a bright pink one across his cheek. His hair was scraggly and long, reaching just past his chin. He was dirty in general like a thief himself. She couldn't see anything on this clothing that indicated his identity.

The man grabbed onto her cloak and quickly ripped it off of her, tossing it to the ground behind him as he pushed her up against the shipping container. He dug his elbow into her shoulder to hold her in place while grabbing her hair in his fist. She tried pushing him away from her but he was too large. He didn't even budge. She started to let out a scream but he quickly covered her mouth with his left hand. He placed his knee high between her legs, effectively trapping her while also pressing his body against hers. She tried to pull his hand away from her face but again it was no use, he was too large. She felt a moment of relief when he moved his elbow from her shoulder, until he used said hand to cup her breast. Tears sprung to her eyes as he roughly squeezed.

She closed her eyes, trying to stop her tears. _'Stop Elizabeth! Enough crying! You can handle yourself!'_ She thought of what Merlin would do. Or Diane. She didn't have power like either of them though. But, she wasn't dumb either! With resolve she opened her mouth as wide and she could, given his hand over it, and quickly bit down on his hand, managing to get at least two of his fat fingers for sure, maybe even a third. She drew blood, he even tasted gross.

The man cried out, pulling his hand away from her. He paused to examine it while also letting go of her breast. She kicked, hitting the shin of the leg he was standing on. "You bitch!" He reeled back and smacked her across the face. She tasted the blood in her mouth.

The man then grabbed both of her wrists in one hand and held them above her head pulling her up and forcing her to dangle. He was definitely stronger than the average bum. He then tore off her one long sleeve and balled it up shoving it into her mouth. Her eyes watered as she gagged. He had still left her legs free so she kicked his shin again with as much force as she could muster. It didn't even seem to hurt him, in fact he smirked at her. Slowly he lowered his face close to the base of her neck like he was preparing to kiss her. "Sorry honey kicking that leg is a lost cause. Shit, it ain't even real."

Elizabeth continued to squirm hoping to get even the slightest bit of relief but the man just held her wrists tighter almost crushing them. Her eyes darted towards the street when she saw a shadow coming nearby in the light of the rising sun. Elizabeth's cry was muffled as the man noticed and pulled her further from the street by her wrists. She couldn't see the street anymore from between the containers where he held her up again by her pinned wrists. She just hoped someone would see the cloak on the ground.

Tears fell freely from her eyes as the man, now comfortably hidden began to feel her again. _'You are pathetic Elizabeth. Always needing saved.'_

Meliodas woke up earlier than usual, hearing the birds chirping outside he rolled on his side looking out the sun had just started to rise leaving the whole room red. Elizabeth was already gone. She must not have wanted him to join her in bed last night after she got so upset with him. Meliodas blinked slowly then stared at the red ceiling. He didn't want to upset her but he knew she wasn't strong enough for this mission. Not if they were up against the Ten Commandments. She couldn't even use her own power. He was serious when he said she didn't need to worry herself with it. He would do the worrying for the both of them. He simply wanted her to be safe. But if he told her that would she want an explanation. Would she ask why her?

Meliodas sighed deeply closing his eyes. Would he have to explain himself to her already? He could smell food cooking, presumably thanks to Ban. It wasn't like him to be up this early. The rest of the group must have been as concerned as he was for todays mission. Meliodas opened his eyes and planted his signature grin on his face. It was only a recon mission, nothing bad would happen today. If the Ten Commandments had been released he would know it by now he was sure. They wouldn't be waiting around for him to show up. He had betrayed them, surly if they were back they would have already come for him.

Meliodas went down the stairs into the tavern finding, sure enough, the sins were in fact awake. Behind the counter Ban was frying up some eggs and bacon while Hawk drooled, despite the fact that it was pig. Merlin and Gowther sat at a table drinking tea. Meliodas could see Diane's wide violet eyes looking in the window chatting with King who sat on the window sill.

"Is Elizabeth still sleeping? I really wanted to talk to her!" Diane said with a light blush crossing her cheeks. Meliodas knew she felt bad for not being there last night.

"Nope she came down long before me. Didn't you guys see her?" The Sins all glanced at each other.

"You probably scared her away! Next time you wake me up to tie you up. You probably did so many things to her when you got up there!" Hawk shuddered at the thought.

Meliodas furrowed his brows looking around for an answer to where she may be.

"I heard her leaving. That's why I came downstairs. I just assumed it was you Captain, figured it was time to prepare for the day. By the time I got down here she was already gone." Gowther said with a bored tone from behind yet another book.

Meliodas met Merlin's concerned look for only a second before running out the door. Ban tore off his apron and fell in step close behind with Hawk bringing up the rear.

"The rest of you stay here in case she comes back!" Hawk shouted behind, pretending as always to be the boss. Diane stood, hoping to get a view of her from the hill they were settled on while King flew high into the air. Merlin went to her study to try and locate her with her magic, while Gowther, still reading his novel, made no attempt to move at all.

"She probably just came into town and got a room for the rest of the night." Ban shrugged. Meliodas knew that wasn't the case. Something felt wrong about that. She would never leave his side, no matter how upset she was. If she wan't to get a room for the night she would have done that when she stormed off last night. She wouldn't have slept in Meliodas' bed still.

The two men followed Hawk as he kept his nose to the ground. Meliodas began recognizing the buildings around him. "Hawk are you sure this is right? Elizabeth and I were here just yesterday."

"Absolutely, her scent is fresh. Smells a bit salty." Hawk answered with confidence as he began to trot quickly.

"Thanks master we are near the ocean." Ban responded sarcastically, though he still jogged along with the two.

"No not like that you idiot! Like... I dunno. Like when You stub your hoof really hard and start to cry!"

Meliodas broke off into a run, his mind immediately assuming the worst. Elizabeth was in danger. The street they were on ended at the waterfront. Hawk skidded to a halt beside him when he paused unsure what direction to go. The pier was busy with fishermen setting up stands of the previous nights catch and others boarding ships to go off for the next week. Meliodas tried listening between them all hoping for a hint. Elizabeth's scent was gone thanks to all the fish so Hawk could no longer direct them.

"Look there Captain!" Ban pointed at a mass of black fabric lying on the ground, barely poking out between two of the shipping containers on the waterfront side of the street.

Meliodas picked up the cloak that he knew belonged to Elizabeth. The spot where it was supposed to be fastened was torn, as if the cloak was ripped away from her. He heard a whisper between the containers, in the darkness and headed down, only to be stopped in his tracks.

Meliodas saw Elizabeth being held by her wrists. A disgusting excuse for a man holding her there while he nuzzled his face in her neck. His free hand was firmly on her ass while he tried grinding himself against her. Her eyes were closed, though that didn't stop the tears from pouring out of them. His heart began beating faster, the heat erupting in his chest.

"Elizabeth!" Hawk shouted and charged full speed into the man, causing him to lose his balance. Meliodas lunged fore ward and punch the man, causing him to crash against the shipping container. Elizabeth, now released, crumpled to the ground. Meliodas breathed deeply but Ban could see his eyes getting darker by the second. People were starting to look between the containers, seeing what the commotion was. Before Meliodas could do anything he would regret Ban lifted the poor excuse for a man easily and threw him over the shipping container into the ocean. The group heard a loud splash and many surprised fisherman asking what had just happened.

"I'm so sorry Sir Hawk! I- I just wanted to help you guys!" Elizabeth cried. Meliodas breathed deeply watching her with sad eyes.

"Y'okay Princess?" Ban asked casually. She nodded, rubbing her wrists. Meliodas, now sure he wouldn't lose control squatted next to Elizabeth, placing a comforting hand on her back. She leaned into him.

"Thanks for always saving me." She mumbled under her breath. "I just- I just wanted to be helpful and be a part of the team." She began crying all over again. Meliodas pulled her into him and lifted her bridal style.

"You are a part of the team Elizabeth!" Hawk chimed in as they began walking back to the streets of Bowerstone.

Elizabeth looked up at Meliodas but he didn't look back at her. He stared straight ahead as they walked through the streets. She rested her head on his shoulder sobbing softly. She felt so useless.

Meliodas felt her body shaking with the little sobs and held her tighter. He wasn't there. Yet again he wasn't there to protect her and now... He couldn't even think of what that man would have done. If it wasn't for Ban Meliodas would have torn that man to pieces. The man very well may have deserved it but still. They saw the man being taken away by the knights of Bowerstone, at least he would be locked up. Meliodas looked over at Ban who walked along with his hands behind his head.

"Why don't you guys go ahead tell them that she is okay." Meliodas suggested. "tell them we will move on tomorrow. Tonight we relax." Elizabeth's eyes widened. Now she was holding up the journey too. Ban nodded in understanding, continuing on with Hawk, who protested making comments about the things Meliodas would do to her. Ban just shushed him. Meliodas wouldn't dream of touching her that was right now. Not with what just happened.

"Do you want to walk for a bit?" Meliodas asked quietly once the other two were out of earshot.

Elizabeth nodded and slowly touched her feet to the ground. Meliodas had take them out of the town but rather than head to the Boar Hat then were walking the dirt roads around the farms. She grabbed her wrists and started rubbing them. The dark bruises already appearing. No matter how much she tried she couldn't figure out how to heal the bruising. Meliodas took one of her hands, examining the wrist. Just as fast he let go of the wrist and started walking. He sighed deeply as she fell into step beside him. "I'm sorry." He muttered.

Elizabeth's eyes widened. What did Meliodas have to be sorry for? "N- No Sir Meliodas, I'm sorry! I- I shouldn't have walked out on you guys last night and took off without telling anyone today!" she blushed lightly.

Meliodas smiled at her. "You had every right to be upset with me. You are a part of the team Elizabeth, I shouldn't be keeping things from you." He stopped walking and looked directly at her, catching her gaze. He could tell she was surprised. "I'll tell you anything you want to know. Anything. Since you aren't a part of the Seven Deadly Sins, and didn't make that original pact with us, you don't have to follow those laws." Meliodas took a deep breath, readying himself. He wanted Elizabeth to stay by his side. He wanted her to understand how much she meant to him and why he wouldn't be letting her out of his sight every again. Even if she hated him in the end.

"You can ask me about my Sin."


	5. I am a Demon

**Guys, GUYS look another chappie! As always feel free to review and favourite or private message me if you so desire, haha! The next chapter will be following the manga closely, then I veer off, again, haha.**

 _'You can ask me about my sin.'_ Elizabeth played the words back in her head. No one knew the true nature of Meliodas' sin and no one could ask him. When she didn't answer immediately he looked at the ground. Clearly she was taken aback by his statement. He worried how she would react.

Elizabeth smiled at him and reached out, taking his hand in hers. Meliodas looked back up at the princess. "Should we sit?" He gestured towards a grassy hill behind her with a nod.

Elizabeth shook her head and continued to smile sweetly. "I don't need to know your sin."

Meliodas' eyes opened wide. Then he squinted slightly at her. Diane tried asking him his sin at least once a week. And Ban, even more so. Was she not interested in knowing his sin because she didn't care for him? Was he wrong about her. He knew he was going to scare her now. What was stopping her from being afraid of him. He was a demon after all. "There's nothing you want to know?"

Elizabeth shook her head and blushed. "I don't need to know your past. But knowing that you were willing to tell me means more than you know to me." She looked away from him then as her cheeks became even brighter.

Meliodas grinned at her and squeezed her hand. She looked at him and began smiling brightly at him. "Okay but, you can ask me whenever you want okay?" Elizabeth nodded at him. He looked at their hands, considering letting go, despite the fact that he didn't really want to. Elizabeth bit her lip before deciding to intertwine their fingers. She wasn't ready for him to let go.

"Elizabeth! Your wrists!" Meliodas was shocked to see the bruising was completely gone.

Elizabeth admired her free wrist. "Oh. That's strange." She giggled lightly blushing. She didn't remember feeling the usual warmth that came with her healing abilities. "Maybe I'm getting better!" She laughed happily. Maybe she could be more useful.

Meliodas couldn't help but think of what he had seen at the pier. The way the man was touching her and he felt himself getting angry. His hand began to feel hot in Elizabeth's, so she squeezed it. She guessed he was thinking about earlier. "Either way, I swear to you nothing like that will ever happen again. Promise me you wont leave my side." Elizabeth blushed a deep crimson and nodded.

"I promise Sir Meliodas." He grinned and started pulling her back towards the Boar Hat.

"Now we have some planning to do!"

Elizabeth smiled, falling in step next to him, still holding his hand. "I did find something out down there! Y'know... before." Her face fell slightly, thinking about how she was violated.

"Really? What was it?" Meliodas asked, squeezing her hand again.

"There's a passage in the forest that leads to the caverns!"

Meliodas turned towards her, his eyes shining. "That's amazing Elizabeth! That will help us sneak in!"

"W-would it be okay if I came along? I know you want to protect me but its only fair since I found out about it-"

"Of course you'll be coming with! I won't be going anywhere without you, at least until all this is over!" Meliodas grinned brightly at her as the Boar Hat came into view.

Elizabeth could see Diane standing and pointing towards them. She blushed brightly, remembering that she was holding the Captain of the Seven Deadly Sins hand. She quickly pulled it away, deciding to clasp her own hands together. "Well well, you guys seem much better than when I left you." Ban singsonged, leaving in the doorway of the Boar Hat.

Hawk ran to Elizabeth, causing her to stop walking. He jumped around her inspecting her everywhere. "Did that perv do anything you you Elizabeth? He better not have touched you! I swear as the Captain of Scrap Disposal that I will take him down!"

"N-no Sir Hawk that won't be necessary! I'm fine, I swear! Sir Meliodas was kind!" Elizabeth mumbled the last part, blushing. She could still feel the warmth of his hand in hers.

Ban raised his eyebrow at Meliodas as he walked past, scratching the back of his head. Ban just smiled slightly.

Elizabeth sat in the soft grass next to Diane and King and looked up at the clouds drifting by.

"Captain are you sure it is wise to hold off another day?" Meliodas sat on the shabby couch in Merlin's study. Out the window he could see Elizabeth happily cloud gazing in the grass with Diane and a reluctant King.

"She needs a bit of time to rest." He answered, keeping his eyes on her. "Besides, if they were resurrected they would have come for me already."

"Yes but we could steal the Coffin and stop any of that from happening." Gowther chimed in from his seat in the corner. Meliodas had hoped to speak with Merlin privately, though he knew Gowther would know everything either way.

"Give her a night. We will leave at dawn. In the meantime find that forest entrance." Meliodas stated. Elizabeth looked towards the window, feeling herself being watched. It wasn't a feeling she was unfamiliar with. She spent her entire childhood being watched by some soldier or another. Meliodas waved to her and prepared to leave the study, through said window.

"Captain?"

"Hm?"

"Did she really heal herself. No prompting at all?" Merlin asked. He had just told her what he found in the City. She breathed a sigh of relief when he told her Ban dealt with the man not himself. They didn't need to be on the run again, or answering questions about their Captain.

"Yeah. She didn't even notice it herself."

"Interesting. That's strange for a Druid to not need to actively think about healing. I presume in the past she had simply hoped the person or people in question would be okay and it happened. Were the bruises really bad?"

Meliodas flinched thinking of the man again. Of the dark purple rings around her wrists. He could only imagine what they'd have looked like by the morning without her healing powers. "Yeah it was pretty bad." Merlin seemed to be in thought before moving to more of her books.

Meliodas took this as his cue to leave and headed out to the grass with his Princess. His first instinct was to feel her up, but he knew now was not the time, given what had happened.

"Will we be opening the pub tonight Sir Meliodas?" Elizabeth asked as he sat next to her in the grass. He laid back with his hands behind his head.

"Nah, we made more than enough last night. Lets just relax today. Prepare ourselves for the adventure tomorrow."

Diane clapped her hands together excitedly. "Well then I think I'll go change into something a bit smaller!" She winked and went down the hill, pulling the small vial of magic pills from her chest as she went. Minutes later she returned in her human clothing and the same size as Elizabeth. "Do you want to go down to Bowerstone with me Elizabeth? Just you and me, like a girls day?"

Elizabeth thought of the mornings events and a pained look flashed across her face. Meliodas glanced at Ban seeing a similar look to his own there. He realized then that Ban hadn't told them what had happened in town. But because of what happened Elizabeth was scared to be in Bowerstone. "I-I'm sorry Diane... But I'm actually a little tired." Elizabeth smiled at her but Diane's face still fell.

"I-I'll come with you D-Diane!" King practically shouted. Diane smiled and nodded and the pair were off. Meliodas didn't feel he needed to warn them, anyone would be stupid to touch Diane. He looked over at Elizabeth and smiled fondly at her. _'Anyone would be stupid to touch her too.'_

The plan was set. Gowther had found the forest passage a few hours before. He then went to bed complaining about being used. At dawn the teams would set out. Merlin was staying back at the Boar Hat with Hawk, keeping tabs on the group. She would go wherever she was needed. Diane, King, and Gowther would go to the entrance to the caverns, hoping to meet Elizabeth, Ban, and Meliodas halfway, who would be coming from the forest entrance. The two groups would cover more area. Whichever one found a clue would call out to Merlin.

Meliodas looked at Elizabeth, her face glowing by the fire light. Across the campfire he heard King telling Diane how much he loved spending the day with her, prompting her to blush. Ban and Hawk were roasting just about anything they could find. Even a snail. Elizabeth hummed softly to herself but Meliodas could see her eyes were drooping, sleep trying to take hold.

Meliodas stretched and yawned. "Well, I'm off to bed! You all better too, we have an early morning!" He then winked at Elizabeth before heading up to the second floor. Of course he wasn't tired but he didn't want her to feel weird excusing herself before anyone else. Elizabeth mumbled her good nights and followed the Dragon Sin.

"Hey don't you get any ideas Meliodas! I'll be up there to tie you up right after I finish my delicious food!" Hawk shouted the remnants of a lizard dangling from his mouth.

"Master maybe give the guy a break tonight, I don't think he would try anything." Ban singsonged, pulling a completely charred squirrel from the fire and biting off the head. Hawk pursed his lips but nodded reluctantly. Diane looked up at the second floor window, seeing the light turn on. Did something happen today? Was the Captain a changed man?

"Th-Thank you Sir Meliodas." Elizabeth mumbled. Meliodas laid back on the bed with his eyes closed, granting the princess some privacy while she changed. Elizabeth faced the closet blushing, and began removing her clothing. When they returned she chose to change into a summery dress, saving the battle clothes for a day she would need the free movement.

Meliodas peeked through his eyelashes at her when he heard the soft fabric hit the ground. He had seen every inch of her body already, but that didn't mean he wasn't in awe every time. She was perfect. He blushed slightly, taking her in. Then she slid her nightgown over her head, leaving the rest to his imagination again.

"So what happens when the Coffin of Eternal Darkness is used?" Elizabeth asked softly, laying next to him on the bed.

Meliodas started to say 'nothing to worry about' but paused, remembering that he would tell her everything she asked. "I-I'm mean if you don't mind..." She mumbled when he didn't answer right away.

"No, No." Meliodas responding, halting her. He kicked off his boots and took off his over shirt, leaving him in his black pants and black tank top again. "It is a device that acts as a seal on the Demon Race." He rolled over on to his side to face her. She stared into his eyes with curiosity, wanting him to continue. "Before I continue I have to tell you something..." He mumbled looking down towards her chest.

Elizabeth reached up and touched his arm, encouraging him. "Go ahead. I'm ready." She already had an idea what he was. The black swirling symbols that appeared on his body were the same as the ones on Hendrickson, when he was infused with demon blood.

Meliodas rolled onto his back and ran his fingers through his hair. Trying to decide how to say it. "Elizabeth..." He paused, not ready to continue. "I am from the demon race. I _am_ a demon." He looked into her eyes, afraid to see the fear set in. But if he didn't look he wouldn't know right?

Elizabeth simply smiled softly at him. He confirmed exactly what she had already suspected. "Why were you not sealed away with the rest?"

This was not a question he had expected. "I assisted the goddesses and betrayed my own people." He wasn't exactly sounding like a catch. He looked into her bright blue eyes, quickly finding them to add " I swear I would never betray you, or any of the other Sins."

"I know." Elizabeth whispered. The pair sat in silence a moment. Meliodas felt relief wash over him. She knew what he was and yet she still lay here, right next to him. She even shifted slightly closer so they could speak even more quietly. "So if the Coffin is used it will release the Demons?"

"Yes."

"What do I have to do with this? Why did Hendrickson want me?"

"Because, the final key is the blood of a goddess, or a goddess apostle such as yourself." Meliodas thought of the Goddesses who had sacrificed their own blood to seal the demons away. "They would need a lot of apostle blood to free the entire race."

"Are there other apostles?"

"Only two that I know of. Over time the goddesses have chosen to withdraw from the human land. The less they interact with the humans the less apostles there are."

"Should we make sure they are safe?"

"If the Coffin has been used the first place we will be going is to them." Meliodas said with a very serious tone. Then a grin broke out across his face. "If not we can still go. You might learn something about your own skills too!" He laughed quietly. Elizabeth smiled and nodded slowly. She had been fighting it but sleep was taking hold.

"Sleep Elizabeth, we can talk in the morning." Meliodas smiled and she inched herself closer to him. He lazily draped an arm across her body and soon both fell asleep.

Elizabeth stumbled a lot along the rocky path. Often losing her balance and prompting Meliodas to quickly grab her waist to steady her. Ban noticed from his position behind them how strange it seemed that the captain wasn't 'accidentally' grabbing her ass and or tits. In fact the Captain didn't try anything yesterday either while they spent the day relaxing. He wondered if it had to do with what happened in Bowerstone. Seeing that man doing those things to her. Every once in a while there would be a larger rock and Meliodas would lift the princess from her waist before jumping up himself like it was second nature. Every time he did so Elizabeth would blush slightly as she knew if she attempted to scale the rock herself she would simply embarrass herself. She noticed the same change in his behavior that Ban did. She did sort of miss it. Though she did notice him watching her undress last night. So the pervy side was still there, perhaps just subdued by yesterdays events. She wondered if she would soon roll her ankle on a loose rock, given her clumsiness.

The forest path wasn't all that long before entering deep into the caves. There was a full change in energy as soon as they got close to it. It wasn't just the animals avoiding the area, it was as if nothing could live there. All the plants were dead, there was no water. Not even a spider hanging out between the rocks. Meliodas and Ban were both alert, prepared to jump into action at any moment. There was a bright light coming from an opening in the cave. It led out to the main cavern, where Diane, King and Gowther should be.

"Captain!" Diane shouted as the trio came into view. She stepped fore ward meaning to look at them to ensure they were unharmed. The opening to the cavern had a rather large loose rock pile, like a rock slide had happened here. Probably a result of digging in the cave. Diane's movement shook some of the rocks Elizabeth was stepping on, causing her to fall face first towards the rocky ground.

Elizabeth's hands were out in front of her though they never connected to the ground. Meliodas was quick to jump behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist and holding her in place. "Th-Thank you." She mumbled. She started to stand back up when she noticed something green on the otherwise very grey ground. "Sir Meliodas, look there!" She pointed below her, in a deep hole beneath the rocks. Meliodas let go of her and peered into the hole. She still held his shoulder for support.

Elizabeth gasped suddenly when Meliodas lifted her bridal style and moved her to the bottom of the pile. "Sorry Elizabeth, I don't want you to fall or hurt yourself if the rocks move." He grinned at her and she smiled back before he jumped back tot he top of the pile.

"Merlin you might wanna get down here." Ban singsonged after looking down the hole himself. Meliodas and Diane moved the rocks out of the way. One started to tumble towards Elizabeth but Ban kicked it, smashing it, so only tiny stones actually hit her.

"Ah so its been used." Merlin drawled. Elizabeth stared up with wide eyes. They must have got one of the other two Apostles.

Meliodas punched the ground hard, feeling the bones in his fingers crack. Not that it mattered his demon blood would heal him right up. How many were released? Who did they get? Jenna or Zaneli? Or possibly even both. How many demons were released? Were _they_ released?

"Captain. Looks like the ladies are probably okay." Gowther held in his hand a blood stained rag. Elizabeth knew it was the one Dreyfus had given her to stop the bleeding in her side.

She began tearing up. So it was her blood. She had released a part of the demon Clan. Meliodas noticed her tears immediately. Jumping to her side. "Hey Elizabeth, this is a good thing! There's no way they had enough blood to summon all the demons! And it looks like they destroyed the Coffin of Eternal darkness while trying to hide it." She looked up and saw Ban landing in another kick on it for good measure.

She nodded, hiccuping quietly. "So now we... we go find the other apostles?" She asked remembering the previous nights conversation.

Meliodas wiped her tears away from her cheeks. "Yeah now we go to Istar. I'll need my strength back." Merlin nodded. The ground shook as Hawk's mom arrived to pick them up. Off to another adventure.


	6. Trials

The more the memories repeated the more angered Meliodas became. He knew he had to control his anger. That was the whole purpose of this trial. In order to get his power back Meliodas had to prove to the druids and to Merlin that he could control his wrath. He couldn't let the events of Danafor happen again. The crew had arrived in Istar late that night and chose to get right to business. Meliodas and Elizabeth were taken to the tower of Istar by Lady Zaneli as soon as they had arrived to do their own trials. The rest of the group followed Lady Jenna to train with the goddess amber sealed demons.

This was the second time the scene was played out for him. He watched as Fraudin stabbed Liz through the chest, piercing clear through her armour plate like it was soft butter. No matter how many times he saw it the image still brought him to tears. "We will meet again." Her words faded away. The first time Zaneli pulled Meliodas out of it before he could finish fearing for his life. If he lost control here in the sacred tower he would not survive the trial at all. He needed to calm himself, for Elizabeth's sake. When he was pulled from it the first time he was disappointed in himself, but he looked at his princess and she just smiled and encouraged him to try again. He was doing this for her.

His early days with Liz were played again for him, he was overcome with emotions seeing her again, and feeling her again, just for it to end again in her death. The entire time he fought to think of Elizabeth. Liz had come back already, in Elizabeth. He needed more than anything to get his power back so he could protect her this time.

Fraudin prepared his attack once again as the rain beat down on Meliodas back. It was time for him to accept her death. He would never get over it. He could never repay her. But he could protect her current life. In his memories an image of Elizabeth flashed into Liz's place. He was forced to watch as Elizabeth died the exact same dead Liz had, and again he was powerless to stop it. He felt his wrath coming back. He could accept Liz's death, knowing that she was still right there beside him but he would never accept Elizabeth's. He would die protecting her, he would give anything to save her.

He imagined Elizabeth's carefree smile. The face he needed more than anything to protect. Imagining her smile calmed him. He remembered laying in bed with her hand on his arm comforting him and he felt the darkness slip away, back into his heart. He only felt her warmth. She alone could handle his wrath.

Zaneli, seeing what Meliodas was seeing began to feel her face growing hot. She wanted more than anything to be the one who helped Meliodas. From the first time they saw each other. She shot a dirty glare at the Princess, who was still trying to grow a plant from a seed that was never even in the cup to start with. _'If this woman was a true druid she would sense that there is no injury to heal.'_ Zaneli thought.

Elizabeth glanced up when Meliodas cried out. She found it incredibly hard to look at him. Through most of this trial he had a steady flow of tears falling from his closed eyes. The rest of his face was at rest. It was almost haunting seeing him so serene with those tears. She then looked at Zaneli and smiled warmly. Zaneli simply looked away unable to hate Elizabeth when she smiled so warmly at her.

The images restarted in Meliodas mind. Playing again with Elizabeth in Liz's place. Her pale locks trailing behind her everywhere she went. Zaneli pulled her braid over her shoulder and began fiddling with her own dark hair, disappointed that she wasn't born with her sisters light hair. Suddenly Zaneli was drawn back to Meliodas' struggle, seeing a new image that she didn't place for him. And image he must have conjured himself. Of Elizabeth lying on the ground in front of a different Demon, not Fraudin. Meliodas was growing very hot, a hair away from bursting into demon mode, thus ending his own life. Zaneli rushed fore ward ready to pull him from the trial When she felt a hand on her arm.

Elizabeth stood there, with a determined look in her eyes staring at Meliodas. "Let him do this. He needs to..." She trailed off.

"But he could die! Don't you even care?!" Zaneli shouted at the pale haired beauty. She bit her nails as she watched his body move. She watched his face change.

"Of course I do." She realized that Elizabeth was also watching intently. Cheering him on. He couldn't protect Liz, but he was determined to protect Elizabeth, and avenge her former life.

Elizabeth watched, her heart racing. Zaneli said if he couldn't control it that he could die here. She had full faith in him. He was going to protect her forever. But still Zaneli's words were playing in her head. Of course she cared about Sir Meliodas. That's why she wanted him to finish the trial, she knew that he wanted that so she wanted it for him. Zaneli didn't have the faith in him that Elizabeth did. Or maybe she just cared more than Elizabeth did... Elizabeth's thoughts wandered. Remembering how Zaneli had offered her breast to Meliodas when they arrived. And without even a little squeeze he had let go. He surprised her. She expected him to be more than ready, seeing as how she had not touched even Elizabeth that way in two days. She was blushing , lost in her own thoughts when Meliodas returned to his body.

"Hey Elizabeth?" He questioned reaching out to her and grabbing her wrist, causing her to almost drop the dirt cup in her hands. He covered her hands around the goblet with his.

"Yeah?" She breathed, feeling her face getting warm.

"I'm going to train with the others. But I want you to know that you can do this, I have faith in you. And once you do we can go take down the Ten Commandments together okay?" She nodded and turned all her focus back to the dirt as he turned and left.

Zaneli just stood there in shock. In a matter of second Meliodas went from a hair away from losing control to happily above it all. She had missed what caused him to change tune, but she was certain it had to do with a certain silver haired Druid. Elizabeth smiled happily to herself after he left, still staring intently at the cup.

"You need to clear your thoughts entirely." Zaneli stated, somewhat annoyed with Elizabeth. She should know by now that there was nothing in the stupid cup.

"I am..." Elizabeth murmured.

"You need to stop thinking about him." Zaneli stated. There was no point in lying to her. As long as she was in this tower Zaneli would be able to see her thoughts.

Elizabeth did not respond. As much as she tried she knew she would never be able to forget about Sir Meliodas. She was so happy for him, and proud of him. He had passed his trial and would soon earn his power back. What did she have to be upset about?

"You will cause his death." Zaneli barked, pulling Elizabeth back to the real world.

"N-No I won't"

"If you can't heal a stupid little plant how do you expect to save him?!"

"I-I can do this!"

Zaneli was too mad, she shouldn't have done it but this woman annoyed her too much. Zaneli forced Elizabeth into her own trial. Elizabeth had no power to earn back, the only thing she would gain from doing it was not dying. Elizabeth needed to see who Meliodas truly was. If she only knew what he really was she wouldn't love him. She would leave him in an instant, Zaneli was sure of it.

Elizabeth opened her eyes, finding herself in a very strange place. There was no cup in her armoured hands and she felt significantly weighed down. She looked down finding she was wearing armour. Not like the one she arrived at the tavern in. This was a simple chain mail vest covered by white fabric with a black sigil emblazoned across it. She recognized it but she couldn't put her finger on where she had seen it. On her shoulders rested metal guards that matched the ones on her shins and arms.

She stood on a cobbled street, in an old castle town that she didn't really recognize. To her right there was a shop window which showed her reflection. Her hair was short and a bright red. She looked more boyish than usual, similar to her sister Veronica.

"Liz!" She heard Sir Meliodas and turned excitedly. She had never been called Liz before. Veronica called her 'Lizzy' sometimes but Margaret put an end to that saying she was more of an 'Ellie'.

Meliodas wore a similar outfit, with black shoulders but the same white tabbard with the same sigil emblazoned across it, his in red. That's when it hit her, the sigil was the one of Danafor. She had seen it a couple of times in her history lessons growing up. Plus, she recalled, on Cain, the man Meliodas was meant to fight at the contest in Byzel. Meliodas smiled brightly at her, as he always did, but for some reason this time she felt differently about it. She had never felt more in love with him.

As he approached her he quickly took her hand, then in one fluid motion he leaned towards her and gently placed his lips on her own. She blushed a deep crimson red and stood in shock. "You doing okay Liz?" He asked, as carefree as ever while also grabbing her ass. When she didn't respond he shrugged and pulled her along down the street.

Was this... Was 'Liz' the woman she loved before? If she was then why did Elizabeth look so much like her? She could easily spot her own eyes, lips, and nose in Liz's reflection.

Suddenly Elizabeth felt a sharp hot pain in her chest. Like a scalding piece of metal was shoved through her chest. She coughed, seeing blood escape her mouth. There was rain pouring down on her, her red hair matted to her face. Where did Meliodas go? Moments ago she was holding his hand and kissing him and now she was here. She looked past the darkness that seemed to be piercing her chest and saw in the distance Meliodas. His face was soaked, his golden hair all flattened around it. Tears flowed heavily from his emerald eyes. She wanted to shout out that she was fine but she knew that wasn't the case. Meliodas held her and cried out. Was this Liz's death? Elizabeth felt herself becoming weepy, it was so hard to see her love so torn apart. So she closed her eyes, unable to look at him. She felt an intense heat and heard Meliodas cry out in anger. Then she felt nothing. She no longer felt the rain beating down on her or Meliodas' comforting embrace.

When she opened her eyes again Elizabeth was standing in a metal cage suspended in the sky. Below her she watched as a man close to Meliodas in height and looks pierced his heart. The same way Liz had been stabbed through her heart. Elizabeth immediately began crying. Tears pouring from her eyes. She tried to scream out to Meliodas but it didn't work, no sound escaped her frantic lips. She began shaking on the cage gate, trying to scream to him. She wanted nothing more than to be by his side.

And in a flash she was, on the ground, beside Meliodas. Blood, a darker crimson than her own, poured from Meliodas' heart, staining his new white shirt. She screamed out, surprised to find she had a voice this time. The demon who stabbed him laughed, then she heard laughter from all around her. Menacing laughter. As she looked up from her Sin she saw ten figures, all of different height and body shape standing around her. All shadowy with no faces, staring her down. She cried freely, feeling Meliodas losing consciousness. Then she looked up at the sky and screamed out "I. WILL. SAVE. HIM!" and everything went white.

Zaneli wasn't sure what to do. For the most part she had enjoyed watching the druid girl suffer. It was hard seeing the images herself but she knew they weren't real. She had created them. But something had changed. She seemed to be blocked from the trial, unable to see what was happening in Elizabeth's mind. Elizabeth's silver hair whipped around her face, her bangs uncovering her still closed eyes. Then Zaneli watched in amazement as a single sprout began to grow from the chalice in Elizabeth's un-moving hands. Then grass began to grow beneath her feet. A small tree began to sprout then it grew to full size in moments, filled with beautiful cherry blossoms. The walls were covered in vines which poked through the ceiling, flooding a large area with light. And there in the center of it was Elizabeth. Her eyes were wide open. Zaneli gasped, seeing the symbol of the goddess _in_ her right eye. She glowed for a moment like that, then she collapsed on the ground.

All the grass disappeared, as did the vines and tree. Zaneli wondered if it was a vision, that Elizabeth had created. Then she realized that the hole still remained in the ceiling.

Elizabeth woke up and the first thing she saw was her cup of dirt still filled with only dirt. "So... I failed?" She whispered mostly to herself.

Zaneli bit her lip before choosing to answer. Choosing to lie to the young girl. "Yes."

Elizabeth smiled softly but still felt tears trickling down her face. What would Meliodas say? She couldn't even heal a stupid plant. He said when she passed they'd fight the ten commandments together. But she didn't pass. So what was she supposed to do? Was he going to leave her behind? He couldn't do that, she had promised to stay by his side and she would. But... did he even want her there by his side? Was she a nuisance to him? She knew where his heart was. It was with Liz. She felt it in that kiss. It wasn't even a special kiss, but it held so much love.

"I said take this!" Elizabeth was pulled from her thoughts as she looked up at Zaneli. Zaneli did not look at Elizabeth but held out a pile of fabric. "You'll be more useful if you can move in a fight."

"What good will that be?" Elizabeth mumbled to herself, defeated.

"As long as you are by his side he will remain strong." Zaneli muttered, annoyed. She looked away from Elizabeth as she sheepishly dressed in the new clothing. She had seen it, in the trial. She had seen all she needed to know. Meliodas loved Elizabeth, not because of how she was but because of who she was. She was Liz. Zaneli needed Elizabeth to be useful. She knew it was the only chance of Meliodas' survival. She considered telling Elizabeth what she had actually done, but she wasn't sure she could explain it herself. She had made plants grow where there were no seeds. Nothing. Perhaps she had a bit of fairy blood in her? Maybe that was why?

Zaneli sighed deeply, choosing to look directly at Elizabeth for the first time. "Protect him... you... you may be the only one who can."

Elizabeth smiled brightly at her, finishing dressing.. "I'll do my best." Zaneli nodded and walked Elizabeth out of the trial tower and back to the rest of her group. She glanced back seeing the hole in the ceiling that Elizabeth had created. She would tell Jenna tomorrow what had happened. Jenna would be furious with her for lying to the princess but she would deal with it then.

"Elizabeth!" Meliodas immediately went to the princess, not so discreetly lifting her new skirt. Elizabeth blushed but did nothing to stop him, angering Zaneli again.

"Did you get your power back Sir Meliodas?"

"Yep! How did your training go?"

"I failed." Elizabeth stated. She saw many members of the group stare at her in disbelief.

"Failed?"

She paused and dropped her gaze to the ground. "Failed..." She mumbled. Zaneli started to say something, wanting to tell the princess she didn't do so bad but decided against it when she saw how Meliodas reacted.

Meliodas took Elizabeth's hand, rubbing the back of it with his thumb in a comforting manner. "Don't feel bad about yourself Elizabeth."

Elizabeth continued to look at the ground, a faint blush forming on her cheeks. "But if I don't change I'll never be of any use to you Sir Meliodas, or anyone else."

Meliodas grinned at her and squeezed her hand causing her to look up and meet his gaze. Her eyes were watery with unshed tears. "But the fact is, you saved us all at the battle of the capital didn't you?" He gestured around him and Elizabeth saw many encouraging smiles from her friends. "I know that you have some crazy power within you! So what if you fail once or twice? I don't even know how many thousand times I failed to control my rage."

"Yes..." A smile broke out across Elizabeth's face as she held his hand tightly. "Sir Meliodas... You believed in me so for your sake... I will never feel bad about myself or complain again!" Elizabeth stated giving the dragon sin a heartwarming smile.

 **A/N: and author note at the end of the chappie?! Whaaaaa?! but actually though I felt it necessary to add it in here. The last few lines were taken directly from the manga (at least the translation I read) So I'm just saying, I'm not that great of a writer absolutely do not give me credit for that! At all! Also I will now veer away from the Manga. On account of the fact that we don't know ALOT about Escanor I will not be including him in the story. I struggled a lot with this decision but I want to focus on the Melizabeth and I already have more Sins than I can keep up with, haha. Plus I don't feel like I would do a good enough job writing as him when I don't have much to go on for his personality. Besides its my fanfiction so I can do what I want Amiright?**


	7. Sacrifice

**A/N: Hey guys! Another chappie for you! Only a few more left! This is a pretty darn long one, don't expect longer. maybe some shorter ones. I dunno. we will see. ANYWAYS It's pretty fluffy and cute ish. and kind dramatic. and, well you'll see, haha! I hope you all enjoy! Feel free to Review if you want!**

"Um... M-Meliodas?"

Meliodas smiled as he stared out the window of the tavern. Elizabeth was never so informal with him. It was obvious that she felt a bit strange about it too, but he enjoyed the sound of his name when it came from her lips. He wondered what had happened back in her trial to cause this change. "Hm?"

"I want to ask you something..." she fiddled with the hem of her new skirt. Meliodas could tell she was nervous so he waited patiently, still looking out the window. He couldn't help but he slightly on edge... He wasn't concerned about their conversation, nothing concerned him when it came to Elizabeth. She was one of few living people that knew who he was, who had confirmation that he was a demon, and yet she showed absolutely no fear of him. It was the Ten Commandments that made him nervous. It was so strange to him that they had not come for him yet. Meliodas was sure they wouldn't fair well if his old companions chose to show up now.

He wasn't sure why Elizabeth still sat with him. The pair were at the only window seat in the Tavern. The rest of the sins had gone to rest after the days events. Now he could see that she wanted to ask him about something. Though she was still failing to find the words to say it. Just want had happened in her trial?

The Boar Hat was hidden deep in the forest. Well a clearing created by Hawk's mom in a dense forest. Meliodas hoped to find Escanor before tracking the Ten Commandments and so they needed to lie low. Though he already knew where the ten commandments would be. There was no doubt in his mind that they had gone to Edinburgh. That was why they were currently as far from it as they could be. He had hoped this location, this forest could offer some sort of protection.

Meliodas looked over at Elizabeth. She still fiddled with her skirt, unsure of what to say. Elizabeth didn't know how to ask Meliodas about Liz without upsetting him. She knew she would be triggering painful memories for him but she simply didn't understand why she had seen Liz's memories. She felt wrong being in a strangers memories, prying away at them. She also didn't know how to tell Meliodas that she knew about Liz. About who she was to him and how much he cared about her.

Elizabeth felt herself blushing as she thought about one other thing. About the kiss he and Liz shared. She absentmindedly touched her lips. It had felt so real to her, she wasn't sure why.

Meliodas continued to watch her as she touched her lips and smiled slightly. He had no idea what she wanted to talk about but it seemed hard for her. He wondered if a change in scenery would help her. Plus he wanted to make sure no one was hiding out there. "Do you want to go for a walk?" He asked, his eyes shining in the moonlight that streamed in through the small window. Elizabeth looked up at him, surprised before nodding and slowly getting up.

Outside the temperature was perfect. Elizabeth took a deep breath in, feeling the slightly cool air fill her lungs. She had never had fresher air, this air was so intoxicating to her. She closed her eyes and just listened. There was very little sound, some frogs and crickets but no rustling in the trees. There was no wind this deep in the forest.

Meliodas relaxed a bit, being outside he still sensed no presence. If his clan had been around he would have sensed something by now.

"So... What did you want to ask me?" Meliodas asked as he started walking deeper into the forest, his hands behind his head. Elizabeth's body temperature rose as she once again contemplated what to say.

"I-I was wondering... I-if you could tell me a bit about Liz?"

Meliodas nodded slightly and stopped walking, now he was certain they were out of earshot of Diane and King, and there was no one around them. They were at an underground spring that Meliodas suspected fed the entire forest. It was such a luscious green forest filled with young vines it had to have its own water source. There was a light trickling noise and water was fed through the cracks in the rocks that surrounded the far side.

Elizabeth's mouth opened slightly in awe, taking in the view around her. It was truly like a secret little sanctuary. There were cracks in the overgrowth here so there were various wildflowers on the ground where she was sure sunlight would filter through in the day time. A pool of water sat off to the side, the water constantly gently rippling. Meliodas motioned towards the waters shore and sat on soft patch of moss on a rocky outcrop above the water. Elizabeth gently took a seat next to him, smoothing out her skirt even though it was so short that it didn't matter.

"So. How did you hear about Liz?" He asked. He wondered it it had been Ban that had said something. He knew it wasn't Merlin. And as far as he knew they were the only ones that knew about her.

"W-well it was strange actually... When I did my own trial I saw... Well I was... I had... I had Liz's memories." Elizabeth rushed out the last part, trying to get it over with. Even now as she said it she recognized how stupid it sounded and frowned at herself. "You know what never mind, that sounds silly."

Meliodas closed his eyes and tilted his head towards the sky. "That actually doesn't sound strange at all and really I'm not surprised." He stated shocking Elizabeth. "This might change things between us..." He mumbled. Elizabeth felt like it was mostly to himself.

"I don't understand." She stated, staring directly at him for probably the first time all night

"You would have her memories. And that's what Zaneli used in your trial."

"But that doesn't make sense. People don't just have other people's memories." Elizabeth stated trying to think of an occasion when it would be different. "Unless..." Elizabeth trailed off. The only option see could think of was that she was Liz. But that seemed crazy. Especially since Liz died during the fall of Danafor.

Meliodas took Elizabeth's hand in his, trying to decide the best way to word it without sounding strange. Reincarnation wasn't something the human race believed in entirely. Only the Demons and the Giants believed in it. Well he was sure the Fairies did too, though they usually only cared for their own kind. Even then the Giants believed you had to be a chief to be reincarnated. It was easy to see a pattern in human life when you lived to be thousands of years old. Humans died and were reborn again and again. That was the problem with humans. Such a small amount of time was so significant to them because it was all they believed they had. Meliodas glanced again at Elizabeth, remember sadly that she too was a human. His time with her would be short.

Elizabeth remained distracted by how easily he held her hand. She noticed that despite her constant blushing it almost felt natural to her to have his hand now. Like that warmth was made for her.

"Elizabeth have you heard of the concept of reincarnation?" Meliodas finally asked, staring down into the water. It was the exact same way he had brought this up with Liz. Although in that case they were laying in bed at home with her head resting on his chest. So it was the exact same words.

"Yeah... When my mother... Well my adopted mother... When she died I was rather young. I spent a lot of time in the castle library searching for ways to have her back. I felt so lost without her. I read a few things about it." Elizabeth paused. Thinking back at those days, remembering her father telling her it was nonsense. That it was a lie made up by the demon clan. "So... it's a real thing then?" Elizabeth whispered imagining herself at Liz once again. She did feel like herself. Just in different clothing. She touched her lips again with her free hand. So she really had kissed Meliodas. This thought cause her to blush again.

"Yeah..." Meliodas whispered softly. "It's real..."

Elizabeth stared into the water with him seeing the reflection of the trees above them. In the tiny pockets between where Elizabeth was sure sunlight filtered through in the day time the sky could be seen, dark and filled with stars. It was almost magical.. Meliodas began rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb pulling her back to their conversation.

"When did you know?"

"Right away."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

Meliodas laughed casually and let go of Elizabeth's hand, using his now free hand to scratch the back of his head. "How do you tell someone you just met that they are the person you have been waiting years to meet again?" _'Or that they are the love of your life.'_ Meliodas mentally added.

Elizabeth frowned slightly, missing his hand in hers. A cool breeze made its way into the trees, causing Meliodas to become alert again. He relaxed immediately after realizing that the open sky meant wind could get through. He hoped this would all be over soon with the Commandments. He couldn't be on edge forever.

The breeze cause Elizabeth to shiver slightly. She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them, fully aware that her skirt would be covering nothing. That didn't matter though, it was only her and Meliodas there and he had already seen, and felt, everything, both in this life and her previous one apparently.

Meliodas saw the shiver and debated going back to the warmth of the Boar Hat, he was certain she was ready to sleep. But he knew he would need to finish his story. He wouldn't be sleeping tonight anyways, and the princess showed no signs of it either. Instead he reached out and put his arm around her shoulders. Elizabeth instinctively leaned into him allowing his warmth to engulf her and rested her head on his shoulder.

"So what was Liz like?"

"She was tough, and could be pretty hot headed. She always jumped into conflict, no matter how much I tried to stop her. And usually she called me an idiot for saving her ass." Meliodas let out a small laugh before he continued. "We were both knights in the imperial army of Danafor. It was the capitol of a nation very much like Liones. It was also where you were born. I... You could have died that day." Meliodas looked down at his right hand sadly, clenching his fist.

"Does that have to do with your sin?"

"Yeah."

"Then you don't have to continue." She stated as she reached up and held his hand that rested around her shoulders. "But if you want to that is okay also. If you think that will help you then I will listen."

Meliodas held her tighter then released the breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Sixteen years ago Danafor was under attack from a neighbouring army. Not something we couldn't handle. But then Fraudin showed up. For three thousand years he laid low, apparently he was not sealed away with the rest of my race." Meliodas gulped, remembering the day vividly. "By the time I noticed the change in the air i was already too late. I ran as fast as I could to where I knew she was stationed. All the forces in her platoon were gone, every one of them destroyed by him. He had a shadowy sword through her heart when I arrived." Meliodas let a tear drop freely into his lap. Elizabeth wanted to tell him to stop, she didn't want him to be upset, but he continued, determined to finish. "She passed on in my arms. And for the first time in years I lost control of my wrath. When I came to Danafor was gone, a crater remained in its place."

Meliodas paused, expecting her to have cringed in his embrace, or even push away from him. Elizabeth did move but not as he had expected. She laid down on the rock, on her side with her head in his lap. Meliodas began stroking her hair, pushing it away from her face. She smiled at his touch, feeling completely at peace and hummed softly in approval.

"You've changed, I know that. So I wouldn't worry about your wrath, I'm not." She mumbled into his pants. Meliodas smiled, in awe of this woman. She should have feared him, he had killed her. And he had killed her birth parents, forcing her away from the life she could have had. She could have been with Zaneli and Jenna now, safe in the sacred Druid land.

"I could have killed you that day, before I had even known you." He mumbled, looking up at the sky while rubbing her silky hair between his thumb and his finger. "I don't even know how you survived. But thank the goddesses you did. Or I would have had to wait much longer to be reunited with you."

"We would have found each other again." Elizabeth whispered softly. "I remember deciding to find the Seven Deadly Sins to save my family. I didn't even know if you still existed... Maybe I was drawn to you." Meliodas smiled, hoping that was in fact true. In every one of her lives he would find her again, as long as he lived.

The pair sat there on the mossy rock for a while longer, listening to the trickling of the water. Eventually Elizabeth sat up, feeling herself falling asleep, she was just too relaxed with her dragon sin. She looked at Meliodas catching her smiling at him and smiled in return, blushing slightly. The sun would be coming up soon, the sky was already starting to lighten and neither one of them slept the entire night. Meliodas stood, stretching, before offering his had to Elizabeth. She gladly took it and pulled herself up, so close to him it caused her to blush. They then began their trek back to the Boar's Hat hand in hand.

"So what are we going to tell our comrades?" Elizabeth asked, looking at the companion and promptly stumbling on a loose vine.

Meliodas pulled her back towards him and wrapped his other arm around her waist. He smiled when she gasped and turned red again. "You amaze me Elizabeth. Everything that I've just told you and everything going on right now and you are concerned about what our comrades think?" He laughed again, and grinned at her.

Elizabeth, now the colour of a tomato, scratched her nose. "Uh..."

"How about I tell them that you belong to me?" Meliodas asked, nuzzling his face in Elizabeth's breasts.

"Uh huh..." Her heart was racing and her head was spinning. She was completely captured by him, unable to move even if she wanted to, not that she planned on going anywhere anytime soon.

Meliodas then withdrew and simply held her hand again. "Well that's my plan anyways." He laughed grinning foolishly, dragging her along back to the Boar Hat while her heart pounded in a daze.

When the couple emerged back in the clearing Meliodas could tell something was wrong. The sun was JUST beginning to rise and yet Diane sat right next to the tavern with Gideon across her lap. She shouted in to Merlin as Meliodas pulled Elizabeth closer.

"Where have you two been!? What did you do to her?! This is not the time to run off on us don't you realize that bad things are going on?!" Hawk was the first to exit the tavern, shouting at the pair.

"Yo, what happened to you two?" Ban asked, wiggling his eyebrows and prompting a deep crimson blush from the princess.

"Now is not the time." Merlin stated, holding up a hand to Ban as she passed him striding out of the Tavern. She stopped in from of Meliodas and placed a hand on her hip. "We just got word from Istar. They've been attacked. Zaneli and Jenna are dead"

Meliodas stiffened at the news. Elizabeth let go of his hand and covered her mouth with both of her, trapping the gasp that was escaping. Tears rolled freely from her eyes, they were just there. "What happened?" Meliodas asked, while placing a hand on Elizabeth's back in comfort.

"The Ten Commandments."

"But I don't understand captain, we saw the Coffin of Eternal Darkness. It was destroyed. They can't summon any more demons." Diane stated. King nodded in agreement, floating on Chastiefol next to her.

"No this isn't about summoning more demons." Meliodas stated. This was about one thing only. This is why they weren't coming after him yet. This was the reason they would need to go after them first. "With all the goddess blood gone they cannot be locked away again."

"That can't be true!" Diane shouted out.

"No there had to be another method!" King agreed.

Merlin shook her head solemnly. "With the amount of them that escaped there is simply no other way. The Goddesses are the only race strong enough to control the Demons. And now the goddess race seems to have ascended and they want nothing to do with the other races. There are so few of them left as it is."

Elizabeth stared at the ground. What did this mean for her? The only people that could train her were gone. The only people that she could learn about her past from were gone.

"Couldn't princess Elizabeth seal them away?" Diane asked. Elizabeth noticed Meliodas tense up. It would be dangerous she was sure but if it was the only way...

"Possibly but I don't know that she has enough magical energy." Merlin stated simply. Elizabeth's face fell slightly, of course she wouldn't be good enough.

"But she has the blood I'm sure it would work in some way, even just a few!" King added.

"Possibly one or two..."

"Couldn't we use that fairy magic. Oh what was his name? That friend of yours..." Ban gestured towards King.

"Helbram?"

"Yeaah him. He used link magic."

"That's true! remember how he had other people feed him magical energy?" Diane agreed.

"No." Meliodas stared at the group darkly.

"What Cap'n?" Ban drawled.

"No. She won't be sealing them away."

Elizabeth stepped around him, choosing to face him straight on, but he still didn't look up at her. So she turned her head to look at Merlin. "What do I do? How do I seal them away?"

"I would have to look-"

"I said no." Meliodas cut off his companion, causing Elizabeth to look back at him. She was shocked to find he was staring right up at her, his eyes brimmed with unshed tears. "You will not be doing anything of that sort."

"Meliodas..." Elizabeth whispered while taking his hand again and rubbing it with her thumb.

"But Captain, it could be our only hope..." Diane trailed off as she caught sight of his face around Elizabeth's shoulder.

"What's the big deal Captain?" King asked.

"She will die." Everyone stared back at Gowther in surprise, the first time he was chiming in. "When they were sealed the first time sixteen Goddesses were sacrificed in the process."

Elizabeth turned away from Meliodas, towards the rest of the Sins. They all looked sadly in different directions, not making eye contact with Elizabeth. "I want to..."

"I said no! Absolutely not!" Everyone flinched as Meliodas shouted.

Elizabeth looked around at them again. Ban looked up at the sky, likely thinking of Elaine. Diane and King stared into each other's watery eyes, like they recognized that their time together was numbered. Merlin looked off into the distance, also teary eyed while absentmindedly playing with her collar. Even Gowther seemed concerned.

"We can beat them. If we work together." Meliodas stated in a very captain like voice. He stepped forward, no trace of sadness in his eyes and pulled Elizabeth into his side. "We will beat them! I know where they are and they are guaranteed to be weaker than 3000 years ago. They need time and souls to regain their strength."

"With that knowledge we would have a larger chance of defeating them." Gowther stated.

"With the captains power we could for sure!" Diane cheered All signs of sadness gone.

"Well what are we waiting here for?" Meliodas chanted.

"I've been looking for a good fight." Ban chimed, cracking his neck and knuckles. "I'll take at least three down myself!"

"Then I'm knocking out four of them!" King competed.

"Where should we go?" Diane questioned.

"Edinburgh." Meliodas responded easily.

Elizabeth just stood there. They would die, every single one of then, just so she wouldn't?

"Let's head out then." King stated. "Maybe we can pick up some help in Leones. All the sins nodded and chattered as they returned to the Tavern.

"I think I'll go have a nap." Meliodas laughed. Elizabeth was still on shock. Moments ago all of them were accepting their own death. And Moments later they were all smiling, marching off to danger. This was the power Meliodas had, this was why he was the Captain.

Elizabeth followed him to the bedroom, thankful for a chance to lie down. She didn't even bother changing, as soon as she saw the bed she realised how tired she truly was. Meliodas was comforted by the fact that the rest of the sins were awake and alert. However he still kept Lostvayne close by and he lowered himself into the bed next to his Princess.

"You have to let me do it." She muttered, angry that he would rather everything be destroyed than let her do what she could.

"Elizabeth we don't need to, we can take them down-"

"And at what cost?!" Elizabeth rolled over to face him now, tears flowed freely from her blue eyes.

Meliodas reached out and pulled her tightly into him. With both arms around her he rolled to his back, adjusting her so her face rested on his chest. She curled easily into him and began sobbing lightly as he used one hand to rub small circles on her back. "I won't lose you." He muttered softly into her silver hair before lightly kissing the top of her head.

"But you will lose everyone else..."

"No I won't."

"You can't protect everyone. And you can't die. I won't lose you either." Elizabeth said firmly, pushing herself away from the dragon sin so she could look him in the eyes. "Besides, you won't lose me! You'll find me again!" She said cheerfully, smiling softly at him.

Meliodas knew that wasn't the case. For her to seal away the demons she needed to sacrifice her own soul, meaning there was no way she could come back from it. She would not be reincarnated, she would be trapped in a constant battle with the demons she sealed away. Meliodas stared into her eyes, seeing nothing but determination shining back. He raised his hand and wiped the last remnants of tears away from her face, his gentle touch causing her to blush. He let his hand remain there, cupping her cheek gently for a moment before moving to her chin.

Meliodas pulled Elizabeth down to him and gently touched his lips to hers. She immediately reciprocated forming a perfect lock. Meliodas had waited years for this, he wasn't about to let her throw that away. He wanted to kiss her for the rest of her mortal life. When they broke apart he cupped her cheek again and stared into her bright blue eyes. "Please, just let me do this my way. Let me protect you." He whispered.

Elizabeth stared back into his pleading emerald eyes, feeling her warm blush across her cheeks. She reached towards him and kissed him lightly again, just a peck. "okay." She whispered, before laying her head back down on his chest. Her wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"Sleep tight Princess." he muttered before drifting off to a much needed sleep.


	8. It's Over

**A/N: oh hey there guys. . I'm so so so so so so sorry! I didn't mean to keep you guys waiting so long! I hope you'll forgive me! As you have probably noticed, I posted all my chapters at once, this is my apology for being so darn late! Haha! You are correct LucyDragneel but the sword didn't last very long (I was pretty bummed about that) so I chose to omit him receiving the sword. And sorry guys this is a shorter not so hot chapter. Keep in mind I'm writing more for the romance not the action. Aka I'm a shitty action writer, haha. But there's only a couple of chapters left after this so I promise the next couple will be better! That's also partially why there was a decent length gap between them. PLUS I was away with family. I HAD hoped to get the whole thing posted before going away but it didn't happen and I'm really sorry! But the next couple are almost fully written so those will be up soon! Also, I'm not emotionally prepared to address what is currently happening in the Manga, and waiting a week for this manga is harder than waiting for all my tv shows combined. Its killing me. (That and what is currently going on in Fairy Tail, also killing me). ANYWAYS enjoy :)**

"Are you ready Elizabeth?" Meliodas asked softly, holding her hand. The crew was near Edinburgh now, under the protection of a spell cast by Merlin. Until they were prepared the Ten Commandments would not be able to trace them. It worked well thus far however Merlin felt another powerful spell blocking hers. Meliodas knew it was one of his old comrades, ensuring that anyone who passed this area would immediately alert the commandments, thus sealing their fate.

Elizabeth nodded with resolve and held Meliodas' hand a little tighter. The rest of the sins were unsure about her presence. While they all acknowledged that Elizabeth would be a great companion if they were injured they feared someone taking her on one by one. The Holy knights were especially unsure. While passing through Leones the sins met with Gilthunder and Hauser, effectively gaining their help in this feat. They were on as support only to the sins, not to take on any of the demons on their own.

"This is the spot." Merlin muttered, seemingly deep in thought. They stood at the edge of a forest, a large field stretched out before them and in the distance stood the rubble of a very very old castle. It was hard to tell what was castle and what was trees as nature had clearly take over through time. "I can feel the magic right here, the second anyone steps into their barrier they will know we are here."

The group all looked at each other, some with confidence, a few had nervous looks, such as King. Meliodas glanced around at his group and smiled warmly however, thinking of the prior night with his Princess. With all of them by his side he knew he wouldn't lose. And this time he would protect Elizabeth. He would not have a repeat of Liz. Still he wondered if he should leave, take her and run. His mind flashed back to that morning. It seemed as though so much had already happened, it was hard to believe that they had done all their planning while on the way to Edinburgh.

 _Meliodas had only slept for an hour, really only needing that much to replenish his strength. On a normal day he would have slept much longer but he needed to speak with the other sins. He needed to make sure his troupe had a very distinct plan, and he had to ensure Elizabeth's safety. Gently he moved the princess from his chest, giving her instead a pillow to lie on, waiting a moment to make sure she stayed asleep. Once he knew it wouldn't disturb her he moved from the bed, going to the windows and shutting the blinds. He didn't want the harsh daylight disrupting her wither. He then left the room with one glance back at the sleeping princess._

 _When he entered the bar he was met by Ban, holding beer mugs in each hand, and drinking both. Meliodas simply shook his head, this was Ban's coping method, he knew that by now. So Ban was bar was filled with friends and comrades, ready to take up arms against the Ten Commandments, the true mission of the Seven Deadly sins. He wished now more than ever that they had found the Lion Sin of Pride, but that was the thing with Escanor, if he didn't want to be found, no one would. Still Meliodas hoped he had kept tabs on the sins and he was on his way to them now._

 _His gaze met Merlin's before he continued down the stairs to her study, he knew she would meet him down there. This was something only she could know, because the more people that knew the easier it would be for the Ten Commandments to take advantage of it._

" _What are you thinking Captain?"She asked calmly as she descended the stairs herself._

 _He sat heavily on the shabby couch situated at the edge of the room. In front of it was a long wide table that currently held the outstretched map they had used for years. "Elizabeth is my main concern."_

" _I am aware of that." She answered back, understanding. She didn't like it, because she knew it could spell danger for them all if something bad happened but she had to respect whatever was going on in his heart. She had never tried taking a demon away from their true love and she wasn't about to start now. She had seen the destruction at Danafor so she knew it was best for all of them. "How do you intend to keep her out of harms way?"_

" _The demons, they have strong magic also. They have sensory magic that Will hopefully only extend to the edge of this forest." Meliodas drew a line along the map to show what he meant. "But I believe if you cast your magic within that barrier her position will remain a secret."_

" _So once we cross the border you want me to cloak her?"_

" _Not exactly. I want to keep all the commandments in a smaller area, if one survives... well you saw what happened with Fraudin."_

 _Merlin nodded, understanding. "So you want them to see her before I cloak her?"_

" _Yes. I believe that's the only way I can keep them in the area. If they know she is there they wont feel the need to split off to find her again."_

" _Will she be okay with this?"_

" _As long as she is close enough that she can heal us if she needs to that will be enough for her. It will need to be."_

" _And what if it doesn't work?"_

" _I need you to make a barrier here." Meliodas pointed to another spot on the map, outside the barrier he had already showed her. "Throughout the battle I need you to keep this one up."_

 _Merlin's eyes widened. "You give me more credit than I deserve Meliodas. I can't keep both up and protect myself."_

" _You have to. I know you can."_

" _Why can't I just do that one if she has to leave?" Merlin asked, raising her voice slightly._

" _That will be too suspicious. If a sudden hole in their senses appeared they would know exactly where to go to find her.."_

" _Understood. What will you tell Elizabeth?"_

" _I'll tell her about the cloaking part. I won't tell her about plan b, she won't go for it anyways."Meliodas stated easily, thinking of the sleeping princess upstairs. "I'm going to speak with the group now, prepare them for demon warfare." Meliodas stood, and left the room towards the bar where he would need to tell Ban to go sleep it off._

"Keep in mind they will likely attempt to split us up. We must-" Merlin was cut off by a loud noise that shook the ground. Something between a battle cry and a deep growl. Meliodas narrowed his eyes and held out his arm in front of Elizabeth, looking at the others. Even now he wasn't sure who had crossed their barrier.

"What was that Captain?" Diane asked, gripping Gideon tightly in a battle stance.

"They know we are here, don't waste your magic anymore Merlin." As soon as Merlin released her own barrier a very ominous presence descended on the group. Elizabeth shivered slightly, feeling the dark energy. It was the same energy she knew Meliodas to possess, but it had never felt so threatening. The air around them was thick and hard to breathe. King landed softly on the ground, choosing to not waste Chastifol's energy. The sky began to darken above them, it felt like time was standing still. Elizabeth had never experienced anything like this. Her heart was pounding out of her chest. She looked around and saw the same terrified look on many of the faces around her. She could only see a part of Meliodas' face, but she saw no fear in his eyes. She only saw determination, and it relaxed her. If he wasn't concerned everything had to be fine right?

She took a deep breath, not really noticing that she had stopped as a figure began to appear in front of them. Then another. Soon they stood there, sins and company versus commandments.

"Welcome Brother! It's been a while." A smaller man shouted waving towards them. He had the same mark over his eye that Meliodas often bared, his hair was black, and although his eyes were also black they seemed to shine like they were excited.

Meliodas stood slightly closer to Elizabeth, blocking her from view. Elizabeth felt a hand on her shoulder and glanced back to see Merlin, who directed her to the middle of the group. This had been discussed between Meliodas and Merlin before. Elizabeth was to stay in the center of their group so she could be better protected. It was after all her blood that they would most definitely be looking for.

"Oh she smells delicious..." One of the women hummed. Elizabeth cringed as she licked her lips and bared her teeth. She looked too pretty to be behaving that way.

"So you brought her to us huh little brother?" A taller man who stood in the center drawled. He seemed like the leader, with the younger brother standing slightly behind him.

"You won't be getting her blood, or soul, Estarossa." Meliodas growled, lowering further into a fighting pose with Lostvayne in front of him.

"Now now brother, why the formalities. We are all family." Estarossa answered.

"We haven't been family for three thousand years." Meliodas responded.

"You mean when you betrayed us?" The smaller brother shouted.

"Oh Zeldris I'm sure he had a good reason. Didn't you Meliodas?" Estarossa hummed.

"Why does any of this shit matter? If you want Elizabeth why don't you just try and take her? I'll kill every last one of you." Ban drawled, bored by all the talking. He didn't need to know about his Captain's past, he just needed to get rid of these creeps so he could go back to finding a way to resurrect Elaine.

"Ban! Don't be so-" King was flung from Chastifol, a loud thud was heard as he crashed into the brick wall beside him. In a matter of seconds everyone in their party had been flung in a separate direction.

"Stay still Princess." Elizabeth heard Merlin's whisper as the dark presence disappeared.

Meliodas smiled, he knew if Merlin cast her magic within the Ten Commandments they could cloak Elizabeth from them. They could protect her. Even he couldn't sense her presence any more.

"Hey, Estarossa, why don't we just go one on one? I win and you leave this place for good. You win and we all stand down and don't kill you." Meliodas grinned, clearly not in the same mood everyone else was in, the tension not bugging him in the slightest.

"Captain you can't-" He held up a hand to quiet Diane, who turned her violet eyes to the ground.

"You don't all need to die, as a leader you should want to protect your comrades."

Estarossa did not look up at Meliodas, seeming bored with the entire situation. Zeldris however snorted at the sin. "you mean like you protected us? Weren't you our leader first? Hm?" The rest of the commandments nodded in agreement or laughed slightly. The sins and company were shocked, each one of their mouths open slightly from the news.

"That's not true! You are lying! The Captain would never align himself with you!" Diane burst. Elizabeth stood behind them with her hand covering her mouth. He never told her he was their leader. She knew he was a demon but the leader of them? She couldn't believe that. She tried to see his face but he looked at the ground, neither arguing or agreeing to their accusations. The silence continued, no one answering Diane, the rest of the sins were now looking at each other.

Then, suddenly, Estarossa began to laugh. It was a chilling sound that made Elizabeth shiver. It was so pure and clear yet so malicious. "Ah so you are already lying to them. So you are already starting to betray them as you did us little brother. You could have been our king but you left us for this life with the humans." Estarossa began walking towards the sins, abandoning his position in the intimidating line of Commandments. "So tell me, are you hoping to come back to us? Have you brought us the goddess as a trophy to tell us how sorry you are?" Estarossa looked directly over Meliodas shoulder, past him, behind him. A look of pure shock crossed Meliodas calm and collected demeanor. He couldn't even sense her presence, how did Estarossa know her exact position?

Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat as she looked into Estarossa's black eyes. They were fixed directly on her. She didn't think she could be seen at all. She had never felt so much fear in her life, it was like Estarossa was the only thing in it. She felt her throat closing, her stomach was lurching. She even felt light headed. All from a single look.

Elizabeth wasn't sure how it happened but Estarossa was flying back into his companions. She blinked quickly, shaking herself from the feeling she had before. She was swept up into strong arms only seeing a flash of golden hair. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on tight. "Are you okay?" He asked, almost too gruffly. It wasn't like him.

"M-Meliodas what's happening?" Elizabeth asked, looking up into his eyes. In a matter of seconds Meliodas had taken her from the battlefield where she could hear a full scale battle taking place to the edge of the forest where Merlin's spell had stopped taking effect. In the distance she could still hear the battle and see the dark tendrils rising from the castle, illuminated by lightning she knew had been summoned by Gilthunder.

He turned his emerald eyes on to her. "Don't worry, you'll be safe here."

"I don't understand, I thought I'd be a part of this!" She wailed, childlike. She was relived to be safe but also angered that he still felt the need to protect her when she wanted to be there. She flinched, hearing Diane cry out. She must have been hit.

"You are who Estarossa wants, I can't risk your safety, you must understand that Elizabeth." Meliodas stated firmly, placing her on her feet.

"But I'm the only one who c-can heal them!" She stuttered in her frustration, causing tears to spring to her eyes. She wanted to be strong and powerful but even when she was standing for something she couldn't keep herself together. She wished she were stronger like her sisters. Neither of them would be stuttering away.

Meliodas pulled Elizabeth closer to him, holding her ass firmly in both his hands. A normally perverted move that was endearing to them. "You need to stay safe."

"You won't even let me seal them, and they clearly aren't summoning more demons, so there is no reason to protect me!" she shouted. A hurt look crossed Meliodas' eyes but Elizabeth continued anyways, choosing to not look at him. "I want to help! You and the other sins have already done so much for me! You saved Leones and Lady Merlin saved my father! I will never be able to repay you, I just want to be able to help! I want to p-protect them and help them like they did for me!" Tears were falling from her cheeks now. Her thoughts were faster than her words and she felt herself losing the strength in her voice. "I-I c-can't lose you! I-if you are g-going back then s-so am I! L-let m-me help-"

Meliodas grabbed both of her wrists firmly, forcing her to turn her blue orbs on him. "I refuse to lose you. So no, you won't be joining us Elizabeth." Elizabeth opened her mouth to argue but the dragon sin continued, his eyes watering slightly. "If you die I'll have no more light in my life. And without that the darkness will consume me, again. By staying here you are protecting your comrades. You'll be protecting them from me."

"M-Meliodas..." He freed her wrists and she wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands. "You are different now. You would never hurt you're comrades."

"I can't guarantee that." he mumbled looking away.

Elizabeth reached up touching his face, guiding his eyes back to hers. They were both startled by a loud explosion in the distance, and screams in agony. "I need to help them." Elizabeth stated firmly, finally with the strength she wanted.

"Elizabeth." Meliodas mumbled, inching closer to the princess. "I love you." He finished with a soft kiss on her lips. She closed her eyes, tears falling from them. She felt whole, complete, with him right there. Then she suddenly felt empty.

Her eyes flew open finding her sin gone. Her lips were cold and she felt the darkness around her. "You can't do this!" she cried out to no one in particular. She knew no one could hear her, but she was just so frustrated. In the distance she could hear the ongoing battle, including a lot of crashing and shouting. She could see a bright yellow light and she knew it was King with Chastiefol. So he was healing people in her place. Was she really useless to them? Of course she was, they wouldn't need her there. She isn't part of the seven deadly sins. The princess shook her head firmly. She was there for a reason, Diane said she was their comrade!

Elizabeth tried to sense their life force. The way the druids had tried to teach her too. She wasn't able to heal the seed, she couldn't even sense it. But maybe it was because she wasn't desperate, because today she was. She would help them any way she could. Elizabeth began walking back towards Edinburgh, focusing as hard as she could on her dragon sin. She pictured his face in her head, him smiling back at her, his green eyes shining. But still she felt nothing. She couldn't feel his life force. She was determined, she knew she could do this, that she could heal him. She knew he believed in her and that was all she needed to help him she was sure.

She continued on, walking through the barren field, headed towards Edinburgh. By now the area was shrouded in dust, the ground shook from all the destruction happening. What was left od the castle was mostly rubble now, torn down by the ruthless attacks. She held her arm over her face to try and stop the dust from getting in her eyes. She felt it landing all over her body. She wasn't sure how any of the sins were still battling, their energy had to be almost completely drained.

A agonizing scream echoed all around her, loud and dark. It wasn't one of theirs. Had they defeated one of the commandments? She was sure more than one would be defeated by now. She knew that one was now gone, she felt the dark presence lifting slightly, like one of them was gone and no longer exerting that power. Moments later it happened again, another horrifying shriek and some of the energy dissipating. At the same time she saw the light of King's chastifol flicker and disappear. Had he run out of magic energy? Was he torn from his connection to the earth? Was he gone?

Elizabeth shook her head firmly. She needed to focus now more than ever. The lightning had stopped flashing, meaning Gilthunder was no longer fighting. _'focus Elizabeth. Think of him. His blond hair. His green eyes. His smile... there!'_ she felt it. She felt the warmth she felt when he was holding her. The hot fire in her chest of when he kissed her. But it was faint, his life force was faint, like he was fading. She focused on that, picturing a flame in her head. She wasn't sure how her healing worked but she felt the flame grow brighter when she thought of his strength, how strong he could be.

Meliodas felt it the second she caught his life force. His left eye had been swollen over by the force of a hit delivered by his brother. He panted heavily, his arm limp at his side. The smell of blood was thick in the air. Ban and Gowther had each taken out a commandment, but King was down. Not dead but out of strength, he now rested behind Diane who was taking on two at once. He couldn't help but smile at the warmth he felt coming to him from the princess. At the same time, he worried even more. She was in danger here, he knew that more than anyone.

Meliodas currently faced Estarossa and Zeldris together, though it was mostly Zeldris. Estarossa always fought this way. A background man, he stayed safer that way.

Meliodas noticed Estarossa looking to the side, he sensed her too. He could tell that Meliodas was gaining his strength back. Meliodas noticed that his comrades were gaining their strength back also. She was close, within the castle.

Elizabeth was shocked. The castle she saw before her was not the same one they had been near before. The walls were almost gone. The ground was just dirt and rubble. Her companions were in terrible shape. She began focusing on all their flames but found she couldn't do much for all of them at once. The Commandments looked like they hadn't been hit at all. There was two missing but the remaining 8 didn't even have a scratch on them. Her sins were all beaten and bloodied. She could see Diane barely holding on, protecting King who was knocked out on the ground. She could see his chest rising still so she knew he wasn't dead at least and that gave her some relief. Even with King healing them as long as he did they were all still in this state. She was in shock. Even if she did keep healing them, the numbers were still against them. Their power levels were far higher than the commandments. They just weren't equipped to fight demons.

She thought of the goddesses, who had helped save the races from the demon threat thousands of years ago. Where were they now? The goddesses were like ghosts, no one knew for sure if they even existed anymore. She supposed it was safer for their clan but it wasn't really fair. The other races helped too, don't the goddesses owe it to them to protect them again? At least to help them a bit?

Did they even care that Zaneli and Jenna were dead? Them and the other druids devoted their entire lives to the goddesses, and yet they weren't even there to protect them when the demons came for them. She was pulled from her thoughts abruptly by the sound of her own name being called out.

"Ah ah ah brother, your battle is with me!" Estarossa seethed.

"The godesses don't care about you princess. They don't care about anyone. They truly are a selfish race." Zeldris stated, standing right next to Elizabeth. Her heart stopped, she didn't even know how he got there. There was a loud explosion and a thick cloud covered the area so all she could see was Zeldris. "But you care right?"

"Don't you dare hurt Meliodas!" She spat in his face. He laughed at her, wiping her spit from his cheek before firmly pulling both her arms behind her back. Meliodas cried out as a dark force pulsed out from where he was, all the dust and debris hanging in the air was flung away, the battleground suddenly very clear. There in the center Elizabeth could see Meliodas on the ground under Estarossa's foot. Estarossa pressed his foot into the Dragon sins chest, causing Meliodas to cry out.

"Just let us take her. She is nothing but a human druid. She was designed to die." Estarossa pressed as Meliodas cried out from the weight on his chest. Elizabeth noticed the black tendrils famous in the demon clan like flames around his foot. She wondered if that's what the real pain was.

"You'll never get her." Meliodas groaned. He started pushing himself up off the ground only to be stomped back into the dirt.

"C'mon just come with us and you wont have to watch this anymore." Zeldris whispered in Elizabeth's ear causing her to shudder. Meliodas was looking at them now, like he had heard. For all Elizabeth knew he could have heard, but whether he did or not he still knew what Zeldris would be saying. He'd be making a deal, as he often did.

"Don't do it Elizabeth." He pleaded, causing Estarossa to press harder. The princess watched and Meliodas coughed blood. As his chest was crushed under his own brothers foot. "Let her go Zeldris!"

"Stop!" Elizabeth shouted, alerting the others to her presence now and causing all the battling to stop, even for a moment.

"Don't, princess!" Diane shouted, panting with barely enough energy to stand. King was coming to and trying to support her the best he could.

"If I go with you you promise to leave Sir Meliodas and the others alone?" Elizabeth mumbled. A wide evil grin crossed Estarossa's face as he nodded. She couldn't trust him. He was a demon after all. _'but, so is Meliodas.'_

"Elizabeth no! Stop!"

"They'll kill you." She heard Merlin state behind her. "And then they will kill him anyways."

The princess bit her lip. As if to help reinforce her Estarossa began crushing the Dragon sin again. She nodded slightly while looking directly at Estarossa. He nodded back at her then looked at Zeldris. "Take her and wait for my orders."

"NO! Don't do this!" Meliodas shouted mostly in terror as he watched Zeldris raise a hand above her then swiftly bring it down on her head, knocking her unconscious.

"It's over little brother."


	9. A Difficult Choice

Meliodas watched in horror as Zeldris lifted Elizabeth's limp form over his shoulder before jumping and disappearing into a higher level of the castle. He felt his demon mark burning into his forehead, his eyes were surly black, but he needed his power now. As much as he didn't want to kill his brothers, he didn't want Elizabeth to die either. It was time he took care of them for good and get his princess back. He quickly grabbed Estarossa's ankle, unable to feel the pain in his chest. With force he threw Estarossa away from him.

"Yeah Captain!"

"We need to get Elizabeth back! We Need to get her back before..." Meliodas trailed off but it didn't matter. His comrades knew what he was thinking. They needed to get her back before she was killed.

With immense force Diane punched through one of the Commandments before promptly summoning many great earth spears. Her opponent was then hit by chastiefol, the many small daggers flying through the dark body.

Estarossa advanced on Meliodas again at a speed faster than any human would be able to maintain. Meliodas countered just as fast, tossing his brother aside before advancing on him and punching him through a nearby brick wall. The remains of the castle shuddered as if it might collapse.

"Careful, don't forget your little girlfriend is up there." Estarossa chastised. "If this castle comes down she will certainly die. Well not that it matters. But by now she is probably already dying anyways."

"Captain you need to go to her." Ban stated, taking stance next to Meliodas.

"Yeah, we can handle him." Merlin stated from behind Ban, also preparing to fight Estarossa. Apparently their enemies were gone as well. Meliodas wondered how they were able to take out members of the ten commandments. It was almost like it was too easy for them.

"No, I need to do this." The dragon sin stated, standing firm.

"No, you need to save Elizabeth." Merlin stated while creating a magic prison that held Estarossa back.

Meliodas shook his head and lunged at the trapped Estarossa. Before he could make it to the cage he was thrown to the side. He looked up to see Ban standing over him as he heard Elizabeth cry out from the top of the 'castle'. "Let us handle this, you go to the Princess." Meliodas couldn't argue his comrades any longer. At least for now Elizabeth was still alive but it wouldn't take long to kill her, she was a human, and therefore relatively fragile.

As he thought of Elizabeth he felt the demon blood receding, he knew the clan symbol burned into his forehead was now gone and his eyes were their more human brilliant green. For a moment he smiled, thinking of her effect on him, until she screamed out again. His blood boiled again as he bounded into the room the scream came from.

Immediately he lost his breath. There standing at the far side of the room was Zeldris, looking out a window towards the battle ground. Next to him in a frail heap on the ground was his Princess. She didn't have any physical injuries that he could tell, and her chest was still rising and falling so she was still breathing. She also wasn't unconscious, her eyes still somewhat open. She wasn't herself though, she didn't look at Meliodas at all. "Elizabeth!" Meliodas called out, gaining his brothers attention but still getting no response from the princess.

Zeldris turned slowly and stared at Meliodas in disbelief. Silent tears made their way down his pale cheeks. "How..."

Meliodas didn't answer, only glancing at his brother for a moment before his gaze fell on her again. "How could you kill your own brother?!" Zeldris cried out, gaining a surprised look for Meliodas. Did Ban and Merlin really defeat Estarossa? On their own?

"What do you mean?" He asked, still watching the princess through the corner of his eye as she cried out again. Nothing had touched her, he didn't see any of the usual demon tendrils around her. There was no indication of anything near her yet she still cried out.

"He's dead! It must have been you! You are the only one powerful enough." Zeldris sobbed. Though he looked like he was in emotional pain he sounded more angry than anything.

"I didn't kill Estarossa."

"So you guys figured it out then..."

"What? That you don't have your full power?" Meliodas was putting it together as he was saying it. Everything made so much more sense. Elizabeth didn't need to seal them away and sacrifice herself after all. They were weaker than in their usual forms.

"Of course we would be weaker. You try going without food for three thousand years!" Zeldris shouted, all signs of his anguish now gone, replaced entirely with anger. Meliodas didn't flinch, all he could focus on was Elizabeth. He just wanted to run to her and take her in his arms and take her back to the pub, where she was safe.

"Is that why you are killing the druids Zeldris?"

Zeldris began to laugh maniacally. "Fraudin told us about the goddesses. When was the last time they came to earth?" Zeldris laughed again. It was a rhetorical question. The last time Meliodas had seen a goddess on the earth was when they sealed away the other demons. Unless... He thought of Elizabeth, of her strength, even for a Druid.

"Anyways without the goddesses here the only being strong enough to lock us away is the Druids. So We figured we better take them out before they get a chance to lock us up!" Zeldris laughed again. Meliodas could tell this wasn't the brother he grew up with, this man was crazy.

"We need to ensure our race is never locked away again Brother! Don't you see that?! You don't know what it was like for those three thousand years! The only way to protect the demon race is to wipe away that Goddess blood. We need to destroy the Apostles to the Goddesses!"

Meliodas hadn't taken his eyes off of Elizabeth's frail form lying beside his little brother's feet. He felt the firey demon blood coursing though his veins as he examined her again. Zeldris was clearly more interested in talking and Meliodas needed to decide how fast this battle needed to end. Her face was like ash with none of her usual glow. Her eyes were just barely open, but she wasn't looking at anything. She would get this pained expression across her face every so often. "What did you do to her." Meliodas hissed through his clenched teeth. He tried breathing deeply. He knew he needed to calm down. If he lost control now, she would die. As would the rest of the sins. He wouldn't be the one to kill her.

"She will only suffer a little, while the poison eats away at her goddess blood." Meliodas' eyes widened. It was eating at her blood? He had suspected for a while that she was more goddess than druid, she was too strong, but enough to do this. His vision was beginning to blur. His wrath was becoming too much. Zeldris continued sounding bored now. "Hopefully she is more human than we suspect, otherwise she will die. Well she might still die... who knows she might-"

Meliodas couldn't hear anymore. He was losing control fast. He needed to stop Zeldris now before he lost all control. He lunged towards his brother, throwing all of his weight behind his fist. Zeldris blocked and whispered " You'll kill her yourself big brother." Before pushing Meliodas down into the rocky ground below. Meliodas couldn't see anymore when he sat up, he felt his injuries healing and he attacked on blind instinct. _'please Elizabeth, be safe.'_ Then everything went black.

"El-Elizabeth..." He heard a weak cough as he came back to and realized quickly that the voice he heard was his own. Glancing around he knew he was back in Merlin's workshop, laid out on the shabby couch he had spent so much time on planning their next move. He was so stupid. He had failed. Elizabeth was still injured. Or dead. He tried lifting his head but found his entire body incredibly heavy.

"Ah Captain, you are awake." Meliodas turned his head following Merlin's voice, but he didn't see her. Instead his eyes fell on the table and on it his beautiful princess. She looked like she was already dead. His eyes began to water as his world seemed to shatter. "She isn't dead..." Merlin whispered, bringing him back. "You didn't kill her." She reassured.

Meliodas forced himself to stand, through the pain he stood and took Elizabeth's hand. His found his own right hand completely wrapped in bandages. He wasn't even sure he wanted to know what had happened. By some miracle he didn't kill Elizabeth. But she wasn't unharmed. Her skin looked like it was melting. She was clammy and sweating, yet also shivering. Her hand was like an ice block in his. She was the colour of ash and her lips were dry and cracked. Her usually bright blue eyes were a dull unseeing blue, filled with un-shed tears.

"What happened?" He asked quietly, as much as he didn't want to hear it he knew he would find out eventually.

"There were no casualties on our side. The entire demon race has been wiped out. Well except for you of course." Bittersweet news, but eventually there will be no one living that knew his true nature. He could go on pretending to be human again in a couple hundred years. "Edinburgh was destroyed completely, along with the remaining ten commandments."

"How did you..."

"Survive?" She questioned, clearly tired, earning a simple nod from Meliodas. "Myself and King fused our magic to form a barrier around our group, you came dangerously close to destroying that as well. King has retired with Ban to the fairy forest, to heal himself and his connections to the tree of Life."

"And her?" Meliodas asked, breathing a sigh of relief that everyone survived.

"I don't know how she survived, but you carried her out of it." Meliodas could vaguely remember it. He thought it was a dream. His vision was surrounded in darkness as he glided towards her frail body and lifted her into his arms. He didn't feel like himself and it was like a distant memory now.

"Is she in pain?" He whispered. Merlin glanced up at him, from the book she was looking at. Her expression was grim and tired. How long had this been going on? How much magical energy had Merlin used already?

"Its a poison. It seems to be thinning her blood, almost like water. I think it was from a plant from the demon homeland. But according to my sources it is used to destroy goddess blood..." She gestured towards the book she had put on her desk. "Did you know?"

Meliodas nodded absentmindedly, he had suspected for a while that Elizabeth was a goddess. He found it hard to draw his eyes away from Elizabeth but looked at the book anyways. There on the page was a picture of a plant he recognized from whe he was much younger. It grew everywhere in the demon homeland. He furrowed his brows before looking back at Elizabeth. "I know it. I've seen it before. Its not dangerous to the demons."

Suddenly Elizabeth arched her back and cried out in pain. Her breathing became heavy for a moment then she collapsed back into a limp form on the table. Meliodas thought he heard his own name in her cries, as if she was calling out to him, so he squeezed her hand. However she did not return the gesture. Her eyes had closed as if she were sleeping, her breathing was so shallow she might have been.

"It may not be dangerous to you but it is to her. It is slowly eating away at her... Goddess blood." Merlin stated grimly. "Unless something is done she will die. Either from the loss of her blood or from the pain to her human frame."

"What can we do?" Meliodas whispered still looking at the girl below him.

Merlin was silent for a while. Meliodas stared down at the princess wondering how he had saved her. Or did she save him? He wasn't sure. She looked so peaceful and ever beautiful, even with the sweat beading on her forehead. Meliodas heard shuffling across the room and he realized that Merlin had walked away to stare out the window.

It was dusk, Meliodas could tell from the pinkish light that flowed into the room from the quiet outside. He wasn't sure where Hawk's mom had them, he would have thought closer to Leones so the knights could go home and be treated but as he looked down at his princess he hoped that wasn't the case. He wasn't ready to face the King, especially if the worst happened. The silence in the room was growing heavy, the longer Merlin was stumped the more pain Elizabeth would be in.

The dragon sin pictured her bright smile, her head slightly to the side as she beamed at him in his mind. He wasn't sure why, maybe because the universe was telling him that it was over, he would never know, but he thought of a future with the princess. He thought of the pair of them forever tending to the Boar's Hat. Diane and King visiting them after their honeymoon. Escanor finally scoring Merlin. Himself, marrying Elizabeth, with everyone in the kingdom there, so he could show them once and for all that she was all his. Children, that would probably look older than him at ten, not that he minded. A boy like him and a little girl that looked just like her mother. All the stupid sentimental shit that he had seen the humans go through again and again.

Meliodas could swear the universe was testing him or something. After years of not caring about love, watching the humans go through it again and again... After three thousand years of it he finally gets his true love, only for her to be torn away, twice. He squeezed Elizabeth's hand. _'I won't let you go anywhere. I'll do whatever it takes.'_

Elizabeth arched her back again, her whole body shook as she screamed out in pain. Meliodas glanced over at Merlin, the sun had set behind her entirely, so at least half an hour had passed maybe more. Merlin looked back at the princess with a frown.

"They have been getting closer together, her bursts. I don't think she has much longer."

"Were you able to think of anything to do?" Meliodas asked grimly, suspecting the answer would be no. If she had thought of anything she would have said it. He looked up at her when she didn't respond and found her looking at him grimly now. "What is it?"

"I do have one theory..." She started slowly, moving across the room towards the pari and resting a hand on Elizabeth's clammy arm. "But I have no way of testing it or knowing for sure that it will work."

"Can it save her?"

"I don't know. Its just a theory. But possibly. I've never worked with a goddess before, even as partial as she might be." Meliodas could tell from the tone of her voice that she was hesitant, unsure of whether or not she could even suggest it. That alone concerned him, but Elizabeth wouldn't last much longer. They couldn't think about it until tomorrow or whatever, she probably wouldn't make it through the night.

"And you can't think of anything else that might work?"

"I've already tried everything I know. You've been out for a few days. I assure you captain I haven't stopped trying that entire time."

He looked up at his companion now and took in her entire appearance. She had bags under her eyes, she looked completely worn. He noticed some food on the desk behind her untouched. It looked like Ban's handiwork, so it would have been left there before he left with King. "Thank you Merlin. Whatever you think might work for Elizabeth... I... I want you to do it."

"I'll need your help..."

"I'll do it." He whispered, his gaze falling back to the Princess. He stroked her face with his hand, pushing her bangs off of it, where they were matted to her skin from the sweat.

"I will need your demon blood."


	10. Hybrid

"So what do you think will happen?" Meliodas asked, the IV finally hooked into his arm. Merlin had dragged the ancient looking equipment out from a long forgotten closet. Meliodas had seen stuff like ti before, he even remembered when this sort of science was discovered by the humans. That's one thing he would always give them credit for, they evolved a lot. It wasn't something typically used on the other species though, but the other species didn't really have a problem with mortality like the humans did. Merlin had a hard time stabbing Meliodas, each time she tried his skin would break the needle, or he would heal again. Merlin was forced to use her already greatly depleted magic to mend the needle again and again. He had to put a cut in his arm himself first before she could put the piece of metal in. It then flowed to a glass ball that sat on the floor. With her magic Merlin would then force it to flow into the princess. It was magic she had learned from the human doctors while she spent her time in Camelot. She wanted to make sure the flow would be steady first, fearing that bubbles would cause problems so she had to wait for the glass vial to fill first.

"Well I'm hoping that her body will accept the blood, and the poison won't affect her anymore." Watching the unnaturally dark red liquid flowing slowly into the ball.

"And will that turn her into a demon?" Merlin changed her gaze to Elizabeth, trying to recall the strength she carried with her.

"I'm not sure. I don't know if her body could handle the transformation... Or..." She thought of the second generation holy knights like Jericho who had become monsters. Meliodas noticed and reached foreword to touch her forearm, bringing her back from her thoughts.

"It's time." He nodded towards the glass orb, now filled with the dark red substance, darker than regular human blood.

"I might have to restrain her..." Merlin thought out loud while slowly pushing the blood back up the tube until it was almost at the needle.

"Wait."

"Meliodas this isn't really the time to have second thoughts..." Merlin stated, rather annoyed. The amount of magical energy she had already exhausted combined with the amount she used to control the flow of the foreign demon blood put her on edge.

"Let me do it." He muttered, standing and holding the small metal needle in his hand that was attached to his own iv. With the opposite hand he held down her opposite arm, so he was leaned across her. Her stared at her bare arm, the veins facing him. Her skin was almost translucent and he could easily see the one he wanted as he slowly pushed the needle through.

She did not react, instead she stayed limp on the table. Merlin moved all the blood they had agreed upon, Meliodas knew that if it took the blood would replenish itself quickly enough. Plus he didn't want to overdo it.

Merlin sighed deeply, collapsing back onto the couch Meliodas had occupied as Meliodas removed the needles from both him and the princess. Immediately after it was removed the cut in Elizabeth's arm began closing back over, whether it was the demon or goddess blood he wasn't sure but it rested his mind.

His calm only lasted a moment as Elizabeth promptly screamed out, louder than ever before, and began writhing on the table. Her eyes had shot open but they were unseeing, only the whites were visible as they rolled into the back of her head. Her skin became darker, her colour returning to her body, which appeared to be a good sign.

Merlin was up again, toughing the injection site, which was now a raised lump in her arm with a spectacular deep purple bruise around it. "We made a mistake." She fussed, grabbing the princesses limp hand and seeing it fall back to the table with no resistance.

"No I think she is coming back." Meliodas mumbled then stared in horror as she cried out, tears pouring from her eyes. But she _looked_ better physically. He didn't understand why but he could feel her power level fluctuating, going from nearly nothing to more intense than that day in Leones when she successfully healed the entire capitol.

For about half an hour Meliodas watched her closely, wiping the tears from her eyes and flinching as she cried out. Eventually he stopped, becoming used to her sickening screams. Defeated he sat on the couch next to Merlin with his head in his hands.

What had he done? Merlin was right, this was a mistake. He had expected her to come out of it by now. She spent three days in pain already and all he did was make it worse. He cursed his demon heritage, cursed his brothers for doing this to her. Of course this wasn't Merlin's fault, she did what she could. Logically demon blood was really the only option. But godesses and demons were sworn enemies. It made sense that their blood could not be blended. Could not be mixed, not in a safe way at least. Thanks to him and his family she would spend her last moments suffering more than she ever had before. In more pain than she had ever experienced before.

When she screamed out again he almost expected it. This cry was louder than any before and it shattered his heart at the sound. He wouldn't look up at her, he wouldn't look at that pain stricken face. He couldn't really. If she did wake up would she be a demon? Would she need to control her anger the way he did? Would she sin? Even if she did survive it was almost a fate worse than death. Why didn't he think of all these things before subjecting her to this horror? His palms moistened as they caught the few tears he shed. He could hear her tears dripping from the table she laid on to the floor. He heard her fingernails scratching the dark wood of the table, pulling up slivers of wood.

"Merlin!" Meliodas looked up quickly, relieved to find his giant companion, in her human form in the doorway. Her violet eyes met his emerald ones as she began to tear up. That's right, she didn't know that he had awoken yet.

"Diane I thought I told you-"

"I know I know, but I needed to know what was going on in here! I had to take the pill! Gowther won't tell me anything and... the princess..." She stared at the body on the table, seeing her silver hair soaked and matted to her face and body. Her whole body shook. "What- What is happening to her?" She cried out, running forward, only to be stopped by Meliodas. He had jumped up before she could reach the princess, blocking her path. Diane tore her gaze away from the princess to look down at her captain. "What have you done?"

Meliodas looked, unseeing, at Diane's gut, unable to face her eyes again. What had he done? He deserved to die, he deserved to be removed from the world. If she died would she even be reincarnated? She isn't human anymore, or goddess, or even a demon. Did she even still have a soul? Demons didn't really, they ate souls, but he wasn't sure they had them. He had never seen one reincarnated. "Diane... I..." He couldn't speak, his words were choked in his throat as he began to cry. He felt his head pulled into her soft breasts as she tried to comfort the captain.

"I was correct, the captain confirmed it when he woke up. She was poisoned. It was eating her blood, the only blood it wouldn't eat was demon blood so-"

"You didn't..." Diane cut off Merlin as Meliodas broke away taking his position on the couch back. He had never felt so weak and broken. He needed Elizabeth more than he realized. "What about those Holy knights? Did you even consider that?! You DO remember what we dealt with back then don't you?! That was red demon blood and gray demon blood! What kind of demon are you anyways?! Did you even CONSIDER the consequences?! Why didn't you just wait until King got back?! I'm certain the fairies could have healed here! Or if you were going to give her some damn blood why wouldn't you give her Ban's?! It fuels and entire damn forest! I'm sure it would have-"

"That's enough Diane." Merlin stated calmly, standing up to her companion as her words cut in to the captain like a knife. Her words caused him to flinch when the screaming of his beloved didn't. "The poison would have affected any blood, except the demon blood. And we didn't have time. She had next to no blood left as it was."

Diane stared at the princess, screaming and writhing around. Though she looked like herself she knew she wasn't. "So what do we do now?"

"We wait." Meliodas' voice cracked as he answered. He didn't need to continue, they knew what he meant. They were to wait for her to die, at this point the chances of her coming out of this seemed slim. Diane nodded and left the room, returning minutes later with Meliodas' strongest ale for each of them before taking a seat on the windowsill, joining them as they waited.

The last thing Elizabeth remembered was Zeldris throwing her to the ground and forcing a scalding hot liquid down her throat. She found it odd as there was no steam rising from the flask as he undid the cap with his teeth and spit it to the ground. But the moment it hit her lips she felt pure burning, like when she was little and tried to drink her tea too fast. She remembered her sisters both laughing at her and chastising her while her father called for a servant to bring her cold milk. But this feeling wasn't just in her mouth, it followed straight down her throat into her stomach. The moment it hit her stomach it felt as though it crystallized. Like she had swallowed a cactus whole. Just as quickly the feeling began heading back up her throat like tiny needle stabbing her insides.

She inhaled sharply and felt the needles in her lungs. She couldn't see, her eyes too clouded with the tears that would not stop falling. She could feel her body moving and shaking and with every movement she hurt more. She had been poisoned, that was the only thing she could think of. So if they weren't resurrecting the demon race what were they doing? With every movement she felt the poison like prickly vines coursing through her body. With every inhale she felt the sharp pain that was only worse on the exhale. She wanted to stop breathing all together, for this pain to be over. She was going to die, and slowly at that.

For days, maybe even years she felt like the pain would never subside. She suspected it was truly only minutes, there was no way she could handle this pain this long. She had seen many woman die from the pain of childbirth, she was certain this was worse. She could no longer feel her fingers or toes, it was just pain. There was nothing but pain. She wanted to close her eyes because the air stung them, but closing them stung more. Like her own eyelids with lined with needle scraping across her eyes. She began to feel dry, like her whole body there was no liquid left in it. She wanted to eat, and puke, and drink, but also be pumped dry. The liquid in her body was like needles still, her now dry skin felt like it should be cracking away like a mud hole in a drought. The pain came in waves, each one worse than the last, causing her entire body to shake.

At times she thought she could hear voices, at one point she was almost certain she had heard Diane cry out to her. She also heard Merlin a lot. She didn't try to speak as her mouth felt like a solid block, unable to move. After what felt like years she heard Meliodas' voice. She had to admit that hearing his voice she became hopeful that she would make it through. But then the pain wave came harder than the last. Each time she thought the next one would be her last, that she would pass out from the pain and never wake back up. She suffered through her closed eyes because the light in her eyes was too bright. Her eyes were dried right out, yet somehow she knew that her body still cried. She had nothing left and yet the universe still took more each time.

Each time a wave came she would shake violently and she felt like she was thrashing out. Every movement felt like every bone was shattering at once. Maybe she was already dead? Maybe she was being punished. Was she being punished by the goddesses for loving a demon? Was she already dead and just forever in pain, like the tales she had read in her story books as a child? Years had gone by, she was sure of it. She felt like every wave came once a day and she had suffered... she didn't even know. She couldn't even keep track. She suspected that a few years had gone by anyways. But was it true? There was no way a mortal body could handle years of damage. So she was already dead, she had died and was being punished.

Until now she had cried from the pain, but now she cried for her lost life. She would never see her sisters again, or her father. She would never see the sins and Diane again. She would never see Meliodas again. For her their relationship had just started and now it was already over. She never should have gone after him when he left her there in the forest. She had left him, and there was not way her soul would come back this time, not with her in this purgatory. She would never have another moment with her beloved Meliodas.

At one point the pain had changed. A different warmth fell over her. At first she thought it was _his_ warmth but then she realised it had been so long since she had felt it that she didn't even know what it actually felt like. It felt as though the warmth fed the needles, causing even more pain than before. Perhaps this was her final stage of her death? Maybe it would all be over soon. As she writhed there she closed her eyes and begged it to all be over.

Finally, after what she thought was a mere week, she had finished her punishment and the pain had subsided.

Merlin performed the first injection three hours ago and after writhing around violently the entire time, Elizabeth's body finally stopped moving. Meliodas jumped to his feet, immediately taking Elizabeth's hand in both of his. At first he flinched, expecting her hands to be freezing cold, he instead found they were burning up. Was this a good thing? For him the heat meant he was turning into a demon form, so maybe that was happening? A memory of the fight at the capitol flashed through his mind again. What if she did turn into one of those second generation holy knights? He didn't know how Ban had saved Jericho back then, and Ban wasn't due back for at least another day or so. He looked at her face, finding a look of peace and sighed deeply. Hopefully she wouldn't be suffering anymore.

" _Princess... Princess wake up"Elizabeth opened her eyes slowly. All she could see was darkness. There was a light glow behind her but when she turned she saw nothing she wasn't done her punishment yet?Or was this where the soal went after it had endured all it could?_

" _Wh-who are you?" She asked into the darkness._

" _Elizabeth honey... I'm your mother." Elizabeth's eyes widened. It wasn't the mother she grew up with, the one she shared with Veronica and Margaret. She would recognize her voice. This was her birth mother. From Danafor. "No. Close though. You weren't born in Danafor." Elizabeth was in shock._

" _Wh-what do you mean?" She whispered, unsure of herself. The voice clearly heard her thoughts she just felt the need to say it out loud anyway._

" _When you were found in Danafor you were with your true father. He was entrusted with your care because I could not care for you. Our race wouldn't accept you living among us. You couldn't live with us because you were half human."_

" _So you are a Druid then?"_

" _No. You aren't a druid at all. My daughter you are half Goddess."_

 _Elizabeth stared into the darkness in disbelief. Didn't the goddess race live in the sky? Weren't they impartial? Didn't they have wings and crazy light magic? Why wasn't she powerful? Why hadn't her mother come to her sooner? Why was she seeing her now?_

" _Honey we don't have time for those things. The very last of the Goddess blood on the planet is being drained away right now. The blood in you has been destroyed. Your friends have made a choice for you but I want you to understand you don't have to take it. You can turn back right now. The safety of the world is not your responsibility"_

" _What are you talking about?" The safety of her people and the people of the earth would always be her priority._

 _She felt her mother laugh slightly. "My daughter, you give yourself too many responsibilities. You don't always have to save everyone. Whether you go back or not the fate of the world will not change."_

 _Elizabeth thought about this for a moment. So she couldn't change the world, but she could change a few people's lives, and that was always enough."If I go back will I be with Meliodas?" She finally asked._

" _Yes." Elizabeth smiled, her decision was made. "However, if you return you will have a very different life."_

" _Will I be able to heal him?"_

" _I am not certain."_

" _What do you mean?"_

" _The Mage is trying to bring you back now. She used the one type of blood that won't be eaten away by the poison. She has infused you with demon blood."_

 _Elizabeth immediately became relieved. She was going to be okay. She was going to be with Meliodas again._

" _Demon blood and Goddess blood have never been mixed before. I do not know what fate will become of you if you choose to go back."_

" _But if I don't go back I can't be with Meliodas, and that is a fate worse than death."_

" _Are you certain my daughter? Are you aware of the damages he has done?"_

" _That doesn't matter. He is different now than he was then." Suddenly the darkness started to form images. Bubbles around her of the demons wreaking havoc on the world. Things she had heard about while learning her history. Things she had no idea about. She watched as a great red demon, the same one she had seen under Leones, murdered a small young woman as she protected her own companion Ban. That had to have been Elaine. She watched another demon tear children from their homes and eat them there in the streets, and worse parents eating in front of their crying children. She watched the Ten Commandments ruling from a fully restored Edinburgh and destroying entire villages with a snap of their fingers._

 _The imaged were horrifying but not without purpose. Her mother wanted to make sure this was her final decision. Elizabeth began seeing images of Meliodas specifically, in a full demon form. Destroying whole villages with zero concern for human life. Another image she was sure was the fall of Danafor again. Meliodas sin. This time she could see the destruction he caused. Last time, through Liz's memories she only heard it. She smiled still, knowing that he had changed. This wasn't her Meliodas. Her Meliodas was safety. Her Meliodas was love._

 _She saw a final destructive image, Meliodas destroying the Ten Commandments, and everything around them. She could see through the dust and debris that her own companions had survived. She could see her own body, glowing, the symbol of the goddess emblazoned in both her eyes, with his limp form lying next to her. This was her Meliodas, the one that saved them all._

 _Among all the images and bubbles she saw a form walking towards her, coming from the golden hair was flying around his head in all directions like he was caught in one of Hauser's attacks. His whole right side of his body was black, his arm morphed into a giant scythe. His eyes stared through her unblinking, his mouth just slightly open, as if he was surprised.. And yet Elizabeth smiled the brightest just from seeing him._

" _My daughter, are you not afraid?"_

 _Elizabeth smiled warmly reaching out and taking Meliodas left hand in her right one. The images around her changed. They became memories, happy memories. Both her own and Liz's. All the memories she had with Meliodas. Every one of them had a glow to them. Elizabeth began to glow also. Brighter than the light behind her. Brighter than she had back in the battle in Leones. "Of course not Mother. Why would I be scared? I love him." Elizabeth smiled brightly and slowly the darkness was drawn back in to Meliodas. Soon he was grinning next to her, his emerald eyes shining._

 _She felt her mother's approval, like she was nodding._

" _When you go back you will no longer be a goddess. However you will also not be a demon. I can't tell what you will be but your energy is both similar to both and very different." Her mother said smiling widely, full of pride at what her daughter had Elizabeth realized that she could see her mother. She looked so much like her but her hair was elegantly curly and reached the floor. Her face was soft and loving, and more mature than Elizabeth's own._

 _Elizabeth began feeling warm again. Her skin began glowing a very soft white in specific regions. Almost a pattern similar to the ornate gates to the palace gardens she had spent so much time sneaking around in. The design spread along her uncovered leg, it then spread across her abdomen and along the opposite arm. Elizabeth felt a marking forming on her forehead and moved her hand the feel it. She saw her mother give her the most radiant smile before a mirror was conjured in front of Elizabeth. She was taken aback when she saw her eyes were pure gold. Instead of pupils the druid symbol shone a bright white. She felt like a goddess. She felt her marked arm growing hot. When she looked down she found it was a wing, just like the ones she saw Meliodas and the other demons use in the visions her mother showed her._

 _Suddenly she felt everything fading. Her mother was leaving and Elizabeth felt herself getting weaker._

She felt pain, settling in fast. Her bones ached. Her head was pounding. She felt a ringing in her ears. She realized even her fingers on her one hand ached. Her face was soaked, and she felt sweat dripping down her whole back.

Elizabeth also felt a warm glow on her other hand. Like her whole hand was enveloped in safety. She focused everything on the warmth.

Meliodas felt Elizabeth squeeze his hand slightly. Then she started violently trembling. She arched her back slightly. With her free hand she was clawing the table.

"Looks like she might be coming back Captain." Merlin stated hopefully. Gently prodding the spot she had injected the demon blood. She noticed that the vein wasn't bulging anymore. Diane joined them again, looking down at the princess.

"Elizabeth? Can you hear me?" Meliodas pleaded quietly.

Elizabeth let her body fall. Hearing Meliodas' voice brought her back. She felt warmth again. Meliodas watched as her skin became beautiful again with a very slight glow to it. He reached out and touched her face softly, rubbing her cheek with his thumb. Was it all over now? Elizabeth raised her hand catching his and slowly she opened her eyes. Meliodas took in her bright blue eyes, and grinned wide.

"Welcome back Elizabeth."

 **Thats the main story! Epilogue to follow! Thanks to enduring my journey with me guys! I hope you enjoyed and much love to you all!**


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